and this was the Commandment which that day Moses commanded them Lastly Another thing in this Paragraph that will not seem perhaps to some to look like Gospel is this That all the comfort of this Gospel by Moses lies in Doing This Commandment saith he is not far off but in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mayest do it and so obtain life and justification by it This seems to look right like that place in Levitious so often mentioned where Moses is said to describe a Legal Righteousness The man that doth them shall live in them And so in all the Chapter after there is blessing if they do the command and cursing if they do not this to some may not look like Gospel But yet here is the Gospel and therefore wherein doth it lie VVherein is the Gospel expressed in this place of Deut. or how will it appear I have shewed wherein it cannot lie or doth not seem to lie I will shew yet wherein it must be expressed and wherein it is visibly expressed and that is in that easiness which Moses doth so much insist upon in this Scripture of doing the Commandment The Commandment for the matter of it was perhaps the same with the Covenant of Works and Doing partly at least brought in the reward of it that is Justification But is this the Language of a Covenant of Works think you to fallen man such as the Israelites were The Commandment is easie there are no such difficulties in keeping it as you may imagine ye shall not need to climb as high as Heaven after it nor to coast all Lands and compass the Ocean for it propose no such vast undertakings to thy self for the accomplishment of it for thou needest not the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth that is near yea but nearer yet in thine heart that thou mayest do it and thou mayest do it with ease and sweetness No I have shewn at large that the Covenant of Works or the Law taken strictly as a way of Justification serves now to sinners onely to terrifie their Consciences with laying home its charge it hath no such comfortable words in it nay I shewed out of the Scripture that it is an utter impossibility that the Law should be done by a sinner so as to justifie him A man might as well climb up to Heaven or compass the vast Ocean yea to add another impossibility which the Apostle adds in his Paraphras upon this Text in Deut. a man might as well descend into the infernal Abyss and make a resurrection as be justified by the Law This therefore cannot be the Language of the Law But now take the keeping the Law in a Gospel-sence as perhaps that Rom. 8.4 is to be understood where the righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and then the Gospel in this Scripture is obvious it is easie to keep the Law now even that commandment which Moses commanded them even the Moral Law that is to keep it sincerely not exactly to a tittle but in the substance of it This Word therefore which Moses means when he says The word is nigh thee as the Apostle adds in his Paraphrase must be the word of faith which he preached The Word is nigh thee that is not the Word of the Moral law taken in its utmost exactness to be fulfilled to a tittle this is not nigh thee it is as far as Heaven further then either of the Indies further then Hell it self thou sinner canst never attain unto it to do it But yet the Word of the same Commandment in a moderated sense in the gracious acceptation of God where sincere obedience is accepted for unerring observance of it This Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy month that thou mayest do it and it is saith the Apostle the Word of Faith which we preach this the new creature can undertake with the assistance of God even the keeping the Commandments of God in an Evangelical manner through Faith which works by Love Here thou dost not claim thy wages upon thy doings as if they deserved it or as if they answered the letter of the Law and so thou comest not to the Law for thy Justification but though the great Rule of thine obedience be the Law yet thou goest to the Gospel for thy Justification thou comest by Faith to the Promise and Goodness and Grace of God for thy Justification And indeed there is nothing but Faith will encourage thee in such a keeping of the Law as this is The Law strictly taken will dishearten thee that will thus reason the case with thee VVhat are all thy works what is all thy obedience so long as thoughast broken such and such a Commandment hast omitted such and such a duty What is thy sincerity good for What is thy good meaning and real intention worth I must have a full task performed I must have unerring never-failing obedience or else I must curse thee with all the curses which thou findest written against sinners Now the Soul by Faith thus answereth the Law 'T is true were I to stand to thy award it must be all as thou hast said but I am upon other terms with the Lord for my Justification I am upon terms of Grace and Mercy of which there are no footsteps in thy whole way of Justification and though I was born under thy power yet I have a Saviour that hath freed me from under it by suffering the penalty for my breach of it and now I am assured That if I walk faithfully and deal honestly with God endeavouring in sincerity to walk after the Spirit to do all the Wills of God from the heart my sincere obedience will now be as well accepted as unerring obedience would once have been Thus you see Faith bears off from coming to a legal-Justification and Faith bears up the Soul against all expostulations of the Law with it and against all the accusations of Satan in the Conscienc and yet doth keep the soul intent upon the design of universal obedience to the pure and holy Law of God Faith requires thy obedience to the Law the preaching of Faith doth establish the Law and yet the Law in this moderated sense onely observed requires thee to go or rather takes for granted that thou goest to Grace Mercy and Pardon by Faith for that thou art not an exact Doer of the Law So I have shewn how this place in Deut. seems to speak Law yet must be understood to speak Gospel and what Gospel that is which it speaks Yet I may not expect to go off without opposition in this interpretation and I am sensible that these two or three things will be objected against me 3 Objections against the interpretation of Deut. 30.11 12. 1. That I make Faith too easie a business as if those that could not keep the Law are yet able to
the Cross and Christ nailed the Law to the Cross and all this without violence or affront offered to the Law it being but naturally consequent upon what the Law did first to Christ for if the Law set upon Christ as our Surety and do the utmost to him that it can it must needs follow that it hath no strength left against those for whom he undertook and so must die and expire by the same death that our Saviour dyed it being nailed to the Cross which is but a sigurative expression And yet I shall carry the Allegory a little further herein still following the Apostle Paul Is it any wonder now is it any unreasonable thing now that the Law is dead and taken out of the way that we should be married to another husband that we should reckon our selves to be no longer under the Law The woman which hath an husband saith the Apostle Rom. 7.23 is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed from the Law of her husband So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an adulteress but if her husband be dead she is free from that Law so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man ver 4. Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the Law or the Law is become dead to you BY THE BODY OF CHRIST that ye should be warried to another even to him that is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God The Law is every soul's first Husband since the fall so every one's actual sin the Law is an intolerable husband there is no living with it it so sets on guilt presseth the soul w th terrors nay instead of producing good works the natural fruit of this Marriage-relation of the Soul to the Law whilest in innocency it now produceth all manner of lusts according to the 5. ver of that 7. chap. When we were in the flesh the MOTIONS OF SINS WHICH WERE BY THE LAW did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Now God in much mercy to mankinde finding that if the Law and the conscience or soul of man keep together his creature will be lost and himself lose those fruits of good works which the soul was first created for he provides another husband for the soul which is Jesus Christ only Christ must redeem his Spouse from that tyrannical Husband which now it lives with else the Soul shall be but an Adulteress to pretend marriage to Christ that is the way of grace whilest the Law can make a just claim to her as a wife which it might have done as long as it lived The manner of the rescue I have before declared it was by suffering and yielding to the Law yet so as in it the Law destroyed it self and then is it lawfull for the Soul that was before wife to the Law to be married to another husband and who so fit as he that redeemed her Now the Soul shall have it's forbearance under failings which the Law would not endure and God shall have a kindly and ingenuous Service there will be fruits unto God and this is the passage from Works to Faith from the Law to Grace I though the Law saith the Apostle am dead to the Law that I might live to God Gal. 2.19 that is through what the Law hath done to Christ it hath nothing to do with me But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 One Scripture more to this purpose it is Rom. 8.1 23.4 There is therefore now no condemnation to ohem which are in Christ Jesus who are married to Christ and have accepted the terms of the Gospel who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death this chiefly relates to sanctification that the inward law or power of corruption which was occasionally and accidentally strenghtned by the Law of God was now broken by that inward power spirit and life which is conveyed by the Gospel of Christ and is called the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus ver 3. for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is it could neither justifie nor sanctifie both these did God bring to pass by sending his Son in the likeness of sinfull flesh when for sin that is Christ's making himself a Sin-offering so answering the Law God condemned Christ in the flesh that is destroyed it both in the guilt and power of it out of us that were sinners so it follows that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit that is that the Law might no longer accuse us being answered by our Saviour and that we might attain to that which is the chief designe of the Law to wit righteousness and holiness which if we had continued under the Law we could never have attained unto What so common now with the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romanes as to tell them that now they are not under the Law but under grace by this means namely the BODY OF CHRIST offered and that therefore there shall be no condemnation and that therefore sin shall not have dominion over them which are the two great effects of the death of Christ though the first chiefly belongs to that subject which I am upon viz. Justification Having given now all these things in an allegorical and mystical dress yet herein only following the Apostle I shall deliver the same thing somewhat plainly and so conclude this first particular The summe of all this is Man was made holy had a Law to live by to which there was a threatning annexed In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the death or shalt surely die * This threatning I take it is due by the Law to intended against all sins according to that of the Apostle The wages of sin is death Ro. 6.23 speaking of sin indefinitly besides wise Adam might have committed any other sin and not have dyed Man did eat and so was to die death accordingly entred by this sin into the world that is a natural death and for eternal death hereafter and the spiritual death of the soul here which consist's in alienations from God both which all men at age are obnoxious unto being sinners as for children I neither affirm nor deny any thing the Lord in mercy designing to deliver men from provided a Saviour who should first live a perfect life that so he might be the more acceptable Sacrifice and his terms of saving men must be these that he must freely offer himself up to
justified man is a just man in the sight of God To be justified before God or in the sight of God or by God are all one for it is the same phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both places and the meaning is onely this that God must reckon that man just whosoever is justified according to that in 2 Cor. 10.18 Not he that commendeth himself is approved I may add not he whom all the men on earth or all the Augels in Heaven commend is therefore approved but whom the Lord commendeth This act or state of Justification is variously expressed in the Scripture I shall give just a taste of it The description of â—ustification vâ—ried in the Scripture In Gen. 4.7 It is called God's accepting of us If thou dost well shall thou not be accepted And again Gods having respect unto us in the same chap. v. 4.5 The Lord had respect unto Abel and unto his Offering but unto Cain and his Offering he had not respect Once more Justification is expressed thus To have a Tessimony from God that we please him Heb. 11.6 But I shall keep to my first description because that is especially made use of by the Apostle Paul in his professed Discourses upon this subject viz. That Justification is a mans being reputed just and righteous in the sight of God and indeed the Apostle Paul as a close Disputant keeps to his terms and rallyes all the terms of a sort together which in this business are these three especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Just Justice or Rightcousness and Justification Every â—ustified personâ—s reputed a just man by vertue of a Justice or Righteousness that constitutes him so or at least makes him a Subject immediately sit for this Act of Justification to pass upon him For Justification is a legal or judicial Act the Act usually of a Court. Now men in their Courts will not pronounce a man just when he is accused or is brought upon his justification except there be a righteousness appearing in him except there be something sufficient brought in his justification And do we think that God wil transact such a great business more slightly than we are wont to do Why this Justification of a mans person it is done in the sight of God and that I may a little illustrate it it seems to be done in the Court of Heaven before all tht Augels of God for they reâ—oice at the conversion of a Sinner and so at his Justification Luke 12.8 9.15.10 Therefore in the Court of Heaven when one is to be justified the great inquiry that is made is after a Righteousness And the Apostle Paul's Epistles when he treats of this subject ring of nothing so loudly as of a Righteousness No less then thirty several time doth the Apostle make mention of that Word Rightcousness in that one Epistle to the Rom. and and at least twenty of those times it is referred unto Justification therefore Justification must be by a Righteonsness The great Question therefore is this What is the Righteousness which if a man have he is a Subject capable of being justified that is reputed a just man in the sight of God Now the Answer to this Question cannot be made till I have established four preliminary Propositions The first position is this That there are only two kinds of righteousness imaginable by us or rather but two to be found in Scripture they are by the Apostle fairly distinguished each part of the distinction expressed in several synonymaes or words signifying the same thing There is the Righteousness of the Law and the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.5.6 The Righteousness of God and our own Righteousness Rom. 10.3 And as Righteousness is thus variously distinguished so is Justification which is the Reward of Righteousness said to be of several kinds according to the several Righteousness which it proceeds upon if the Righteousness be that of the Law by the Works of the Law then is the Reward reckoned of Debt if the Righteousness be that of Faith the Reward is in the nature of a Grace or Gift Rom. 4 4. Now to him that worketh according to the Law the Reward is not reckoned of Grace but of Debt and 〈◊〉 contra to him that believeth and is for the Righteousness of Faith the Reward that is Justification is reckoned of Grace not of Debt Having thus given a distinct account what Justification is how that it is the constituting a man just before God and what ground or reason it proceeds upon viz. Upon a Righteousness found with the person to be justified he hath a Righteousness to plead for him And having given you the onely distinction that there is of Righteousness it is of the Law or Faith however either part of the distinction may be varied in synonymous expressions and so the Justification following upon one of these Righteousnesses viz. That of the Law is of Debt upon the other viz. The Righteousness of Faith is of Grace I shall draw up the terms that belong to either part of the distinction whether of Righteousness or Justification together that so ye may see the Apostle is full of these two and only these two as also that the Scriptures may appear wherein this subject is touched at and so fall upon a fair dispute for the Cause which is this Whether of these two ways must serve us in the present state of things Which way of Righteousness which way of Justification we must betake our selves unto if we would be saved For without Justification no Salvation and Salvation at the day of Judgement will follow onely upon our Justification in this life God will then do that in the face of all the world in acquitting or condemning which now he doth effectually in a more covert and secret manner To draw up therefore these two parties into the field 1. The Law in its party or list of Synonyma's hath these severals The works of the Law 2 Gal. 1.6 The deeds of the Law Rom. 3.20.28 The Law of Works ver 27. By works without any addition of the Law If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory Rom. 4.2 Here glorying and boasting belong to this Tribe too as a consequent upon Legal-Justification or Law-Justification The Verb used is this To him that worketh I shall not instance in any further Synonyma's belonging to the Law such as this that it is called a fleshly way and flesh Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh I come to give the synonymaes or conjugata that belong to the way of Faith The substantives are these 1. Faith alone Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness The Faith of God Rom. 3.3 The Law of Faith ver 27. The righteousness of faith Rom. 4.13 Grace 't is of Faith that it might be of Grace Abundance of Grace and the gift of righteousness Rom. 5.17 It
of the Law to bring them into desperation and there to leave them but by this desperation which indeed the Law was to bring them into to make them hunger and thirst after another righteousness then that of the law which by the law they might see they could not have to make them in love with the promises with any thing that looks like mercy and grace and in a word to direct them and drive them to Christ and a Gospel-Justification Gal. 3.24 The law was our School-master to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by Faith ver 22. The Scripture that is the Law hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe 23. Before Faith came we were kept under the Law included as prisoners shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed Rom. 10.3 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness unto every one that believeth So that indeed the Law was given not to undermine the promise but to serve the ends and honour of the promise The law entred not to preach a Legal Justification but an Evangelical The Law came into the world to confess its own impotency to save or justifie us as also to send and direct us to one that could according to that of Rom. 3.20.21.22 Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe The righteousness of God without the law is witnessed by the law There are other Scriptures to this purpose which I forbear to mention Thus the Law and the Gospel do mutually good turns for one another the Law preacheth the Gospel most effectually for men never well close with the Gospel till they feel the lash of the Law And the Gospel again most effectually establisheth and obligeth to the keeping of the Law for till men have a principle of faith they never have a living principle of obedience thus the elder which is the Law is made to serve the younger that is the Gospel but the Gospel hath an ingenuity in it to return the Law a due acknowledgement And the Law might well direct the sinner to Christ and preach Justification by Faith for this was the onely way of recovering its own honour and obedience which was due unto it Reas 1. Why the Law might well direct to Christ as appears in these three particulars First for that Christ personally fulfilled it to a tittle he lived a most perfect life and performed unerring obedience for more then thirty years together here amongst men upon earth and this is said by some Divines to be for the Justification of his own person and is known by the name of his active obedience 2. For those whom he was to save and redeem from under the law from under the punishments and penalties which were due to them for the breaches of it he underwent all that the law exacted from him as their Mediator till the law was fully satisfied 3. As for the persons themselves thus redeemed by the sufferings of an innocent and legally-righteous Saviour they are not owned by this Saviour to be his redeemed ones any further then as they acknowledg the perfect holiness of the law that they themselves are obliged as Creatures and the redeemed ones of Christ to endeavour to their utmost to keep the law still to a tittle and do actually perform a sincere obedience to it not dispensing with themselves in any command of it but bewailing their infirmities wherein they fall short of unerring obedience so that in the way of faith the law obtains its true end though not exactly in the persons justified yet in their Saviour Christ is the end of the law for righteousness Rom 10.4 Yea and in their persons thus far that they perform a sincere obedience and endeavour an unerring obedience to the law and thus the righteousness of the law is said to be fuifilled in them in as much as they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8 4. So that now I have answered the great objection against Justification by Faith which was th s Wherefore then serveth the Law and that with some advantage to the present cause I have shewn that whatever the law was intended for in its delivery it was not given for a way of Justification because the way of faith was establisht before the reasons of its delivery were these 1. It was given to the Jews in mercy to shew them their duty more plainly then they could otherwise have known it by the light of nature or any other way of teaching which they had amongst them till that time that so they might not run into transgressions through ignorance and it was given with terror that they might not rush into transgressions through negligence and these two particulars made up the first end of the delivery of the law viz. to hinder transgressions from being committed 2. It was added to heighten transgressions in the guilt of them when they should be committed 3. Not to leave them in desparation but to direct them unto Christ and I have shewn that great advantage did accrue to the law this way that hereby it came to pass that though it was not fulfilled by the first Adam in the first giving of it yet it was all as well fulfilled by the second and every way recompensed and satisfied as if it had never been broken so that I reckon the Objection is quite taken off and may be retorted upon the objectors thus If they ask Wherefore then serveth the Law We answer It serveth to lead men unto Christ that they may be justified by Faith I have some things yet to add upon the two last last ends of the law 's being given which I thought not fit to insert in the first mention of them upon the second end of the law 's being given viz. for the aggravating of transgression and loading the Conscience with guilt I have this to add It is so true that the law was given to the Jews to make the offence to abound and to press the conscience with guilt that it had the same effect upon the Gentile World to whom it was not delivered as it was unto the Jews so saith the Apostle Rom 3. where when he had recited out of the Psalms a Catalogue of sins which the law doth condemn men for from the 10. to the 19. ver in that 19. ver Now we know saith he that whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world might be guilty before God Certainly the Gentiles are a part and the greatest part of the
the Law of Moses And this the Apostle aggravates so that he seems to make it a worse business in the dayes of their knowledge thus to go off to the Law then in the days of their ignorance to serve Idols Thus you have seen their Disease now for further proof yet that this was their distemper we may observe that the Apostle applies several arguments by way of remedy which were proper onely for this distemper in that one chap. Gal. 3. I shall observe mine several Arguments sive of which are contained in the first five verses of that chap. and are more particular and experimental for the conviction of the Galatians the minor of every ' yllogism being evident in their experience the major evident in its own nature or from Scripture the other four being sufficiently convincing to every man and of no particular concernment to them more then others in ver 1. Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes fesus Christ hath been evidently set forth as if he had been crucified amongst you Makes this syllogism They who had Christ clearly preached to them so as if he had been crucified before their eyes should not for shame go off to the Law But you have had Christ thus clearly preached Ergo 2d Argument in the 2d ver Ye received the Spirit by this plain preaching of Christ which ye never did by your Law-Preachers This one would think was a mighty Argument to them This onely would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the preaching of Faith The Syllogism They that have received the Spirit by the preaching of Faith should not for shame go off But you have received Ergo 3d. Arg. in ver 3. Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh 'T is a disgrace for wise men to begin in any way and alter their way at all before they make an end but it is a higher disgrace to begin in a better way and end in a worse to begin in the Spirit and to end in the Flesh As much as Spirit doth excel Flesh their Horses are Flesh and not Spirit Isa 31.3 so much doth the Gospel-way of Justification excel the Legal The Syllogism is this They that have once begun in a more excellent way then the Law is should not go off to the Law but you have begun in a more excellent way viz. the Spirit Ergo 4th Arg. from the 4. ver Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be 〈◊〉 in vain They had not onely embraced the Gospel and begun in the Spirit to do something but they had suffered many things from the persecuting Jews for professing a pure Gospel-way and now would lose all their sufferings 5th Arg. from the 5th ver He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you doth he it by the works 〈◊〉 the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Law-Preachers could neither administer the Spirit to their Hearers nor yet work miracles in proof of what they delivered both which the Apostle had done and their present Minister Epaphrus did do and yet they were so mad upon the Law and the way of Justification by works that they were ready to shake off the Gospel for the insupportable burthen of the Law There are ye see at least five Arguments in the compass of five verses proper to them and all five proposed in the way of interrogation to express the Apostles vehemency his trouble at their desection his strange admiration at it his longing for their recovery all which this interrogation-form implies Then the Apostle proceeds to general and universal Arguments not of such particular concernment to them such as I have in my former Discourse urged viz. the example of Abraham from the 6. to the 10. from the nature of the Law requiring strict obedience or else accursing the sinner ver 10. from an express proof out of the Old-Testament Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by Faith therefore not by the Law saith the Apostle for the Law is not of Faith 11 12. And then comes in that great Argument which I have so largely insisted upon That there was a Covenant of Grace on foot before ever the Law was given by Moses which could not be broken therefore the Law came not in for a way of Justification else it must have disannulled this Covenant from the 15 to the 1. I now recollect and argue Here you see that not onely the Jews but the Gentiles desired to be under the Law would needs be justified by the works of the Law else the Apostle had disputed largely and strenuously against no Enemy Nay the Galatians though they never had had the Law before but onely first Heathen Idolatry and then a pure Gospel and received it with joy and admiration and great intensness of affection received the Spirit through the Ministry of it suffered much for the profession of it begun wel and did run wel yet though they had begun in the Spirit no sooner came the Law-Preachers among them but they turned from St. Paul who had called them unto Christ like fools and men bewitched unto another Gospel that is unto a Law-Gospel The Law-Preachers no sooner came amongst the Galatians but they turned the very Gospel which the Apostle had preached and they received into so much Law so that there ye might have seen Christians to be the pure Disciples of Moses nay far worse then the true Seed were in Moses's time Now from hence I infer the first assertion in the coviction viz. That there have been and therefore may be such a generation of men that notwithstanding the preaching of the Gospel nay and the profession of the Gospel are legal in the business of Justification followers of the Law seek to be justified by works and also that we are very apt to run into this way without much care and caution Who would ever thought that the Galatians that had so many reasons to engage them to keep in that way of Faith should ever have turned carnal and fleshly in the business of Justification Certainly this Apostacy of theirs argues a great aptitude in humane nature to this way unless you will think that the Galatians were of another make from all the men in the world I shall add somewhat moreof proof to this proposition and the parts of it by and by only I must first enter upon the explication of the 2d thing proposed viz. Wherein this legality lyes or wherein the great inistake lies that so many should seek to be justified by a Covenant of Works and yet acknowledge themselves sinners and in the explication of this there will new proof arise to the first Proposition viz. That men are generally addicted to the way of works 2dly 2d parâ—iculâ— in the conâ—iction viz. wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Negaâ—vel Therefore it comes to be explained wherein
Abraham which worship God in the SPIRIT in a true SPIRITUAL way of Worship and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no considence in the flesh which they the legal Worshippers have they are fieshly we are after the Spirit and worship God in the Spirit They have considence in the flesh we have none Now what is this confidence in the flesh which the Concision the Dogs and evil Workers had but the true Worshippers had not This the Apostle explains at large in the 4 5 and 6. verses For saith he if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might TRUST in the FLESH I more What is that of the Flesh wherein he might glory if he would He tells us ver 5. I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee or blameless so iâ— follows ver 9. as touching the righteousness which is in the Law blameless that is as touching the letter of the law Moral or Ceremonial This is the matter of fleshly glorying or boasting which you see is made up either of external Rites and Priviledges or the external obedience to the moral law That which he calls flesh is an external thing Now that fleshly and legal are Synonymous or words importing the same thing and so used by the Apostle is not onely clear in this Scripture but in other Scriptures for instance Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit that is a Gospel-way are ye now made perfect by the flesh that is will ye end in a legal that is a fleshly way Fleshly and Legal are all one Now the way of the Flesh is an external way made up of outward Rites Ceremonies Priviledges and Performances therefore a legal way is a way in which men please themselves with external Priviledges and Performances I shewed before that those that are addicted to the way of works durst not pretend to an universal conformity to the law in a strict sense of it and yet do seek to be justified by Works therefore they must have some Works to glory in and to uphold their Spirits in a confidence of Divine acceptance Now therefore what can these Works be other then external conformities to the ceremonial or moral law and these ceremonies either as given by God or else superstiously invented by themselves I shall now a little further exemplifie what I then asserted and that by some assistance from the second thing premised in shewing that in all times the evil sort of Worshippers which because they are not Evangelical must be legal have done and do exceedingly please themselves in external Priviledges and Performances in doing which I shall avoid useless repetitions We find The first external priviledge which the Iews gloried in that the Jews who were as well to be condemned for Legality before the dayes of the Gospel as under it there having been always a fleshly and spiritual Seed were exceedingly taken with their being circumcised and of the Seed of Abraham and made a peculiar people to God in the Lump and Body of the Nation which did not hinder at all but for particular persons they might be wicked enough strangers to God and heirs of wrath Thus the Jews as Jews scorned the Gentiles called them Dogs and the sinners of the Gentiles or Nations whereas to be Jews born was nothing but an external Priviledge And therefore the Apostle when he comes to convince them of this folly and vain fleshly boasting he makes no more ado but to cut them off from this stump that they stood upon by that great distinction so frequent in his Epistles of Israel according to the flesh and the true Israel or the true Seed according to the Promise that is Believers All are not Israel that are of Israel saith he and he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Now that which amongst us may answer to such a fleshly boast as this was of the Jews for I chiefly aim at the usefulness of this Doctrine to our selves may be this viz the Name of Christians and the general Baptism that all amongst us can pretend unto Though this cannot be accounted so great a Priviledge to us now that Christendom is so large as Circumcision and being natural or proselyted Jews was to them who were a single Nation chosen for a peculiar people to God out of all the Nations of the World I come therefore to some other things They gloried also very much in their Temple The second external priviledge the â—â—ws gloried in there is an eminent place amongst many for this Jer. 7.4 Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are THESE that is THESE BUILDINGS THESE COURTS pointing as it were with their singer at the Buildings of the Temple as much as if they had said See! we have the Temple of the Lord with us and his Worship and Service amongst us and therefore no evil can come to us whatever these Fanatick Prophets threaten us with Now see what a strange infatuation and besottednesse these men were under for they were as wicked as men could be by oppression and blood-guiltiness yea Idolatry it self as you may see in ver 10. Will ye steal murder and commit Adultrey and swear falsly and burn incense unto Baal and walk after other Gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this House which is called by my Name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations It this House which is called by my Name become a Den of Robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord. Here is a crew of Legal-Worshippers of Carnal-Worshippers that certainly could not pretend to Justification by the strict Law of God yet trusted in the Temple and Temple-Worship ver 8. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit and what those words are you have seen in ver 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord c. No saith the Lord. ver 3. Amend your wayes and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place Here is Mercy Grace Pardon here they are put upon the way of believing ver 5 6. For if ye throughly amend your wayes and your doings and if ye throughly execute judgement between a man and his Neighbour if ye oppress not the stranger then will I cause you to dwell in this Land that I gave to your Fathers for ever and ever But else never think that the Temple or Temple Worship can save you or deliver you Ver. 12. Go to Shiloh go unto my place which was in Shiloh
principle shall be onely an humble love and gratitude and the action shall be a true useful and ingenious action wherein some real service shall be done for God I shall give an instance in the Apostle Paul in that place last mentioned 1 Cor. 9.17 18. a place where you have the Apostle doing two things one of necessity that had a wo upon it if he did it not so that whether he did it willingly or unwillingly he must do it and that was the preaching the Gospel the other purely voluntary and so free lest him that he might have done the contrary to what he did and not have sinned at all and that was as to his maintenance for preaching he might have expected from them that they should maintain him but he would not he would maintain himself and this he took such comfort in that he calls this his glorying as I take it and he would rather dye then that any man should make this his glorying void Now the principle of this his action was not Legal as if he thought by this to lay some obligation upon God or his Lord Christ Jesus for he knew that he was so far obliged to the Lord for his mercies that he could never lay an obligation upon God The principle therefore was onely this of gratitude and nobleness he had such a good Master that he could never do enough for and therefore when he had sent him to preach the Gospel which he must unavoidably do the Apostle spyed out an opportunity of doing his duty herein more effectually and that was if he would preach the Gospel upon free-cost though he was allowed by his Master to have demanded a reward and now spying out this how he might do an eminent service which yet was a free-will offering he catches at it and will rather dye then let go this opportunity Ver. 5. It were better for me to dye then that any man should make my glorying void upon which take this paraphrase of a learned Commentator I have preached the Gospel on free-cost and would rather choose to famish by doing so then be deprived of this way of advancing the Gospel and I would not for all the world lose this comfors and joy that I have preached to you without receiving any thing from you Here you see at the same time the Apostle can act from a principle of necessity and also of voluntariness or nobleness he preaches the Gospel from the consideration of a necessity and he takes nothing for his preaching out of a principle of nobleness and yet this second service is a real service and advantage to the Gospel not such a foolish thing as for men to whip themselves or to offer to the shrine of some Saint or to say such a tale of Pater nosters c. That therefore is another Christian Principle in acting for God viz. Gratitude and Nobleness I shall onely mention one more and it is this When one hath been used to serve God The last and highest principle of action is from the excellency of the work it self the wayes of God are so good in themselves that a man will find a great sweetness and satisfaction in them that they are the onely ways that perfect a mans nature they are the only ways that are rational he shall more and more see every sin to be a gross absurdity according to that Scriptuture Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their sences exercised to discern good and evil And believe it this is an high attainment to have a sense of what is good and excellent and of what is evil and base and to love the first and hate the latter for it self this is certainly the very love and hatred that God himself hath Now though I have allowed that there are these three Gospel-principles of Love and Gratitude Nobleness and Generosity loving and hating things for their own desert which men may arrive at yet I dare not speak a light word of the three first principles mentioned especially of that first viz. of serving God as our Creator which I think wil be an everlasting principle of service after we have received the fullest reward And for those principles of acting in hope of the reward and to avoid Hell I say first as before that they are good and warrantable nay Evangelical principles of action and therefore cannot simply considered be reckoned for legal principles yet perhaps I might say this in agreement with those that make them characters of a legal spirit that if they could be discovered in any person to be the onely principle of action as in Ahab and Pharoah the avoiding the Judgements that they were sensible of to hang over them were visibly the onely motives of their religious acts that person might be adjudged legal But of this more when I come to speak of a Spirit of Bondage which is the next Scripture-Character that I shall give of a Legal Spirit Onely in the mean time I reckon that I have evinced that taking it in the general without that distinctness in which we are to proceed so it is not a sufficient argument nor any argument at all of a Legal Spirit to act towards God for fear of punishment or in hope of the reward I come now to a third Character of a Legal Spirit The third Character of a Legal Spirit and it is this To be under a Spirit of Bondage is an argument of a Legal Spirit That this is an Argument or Character of a Legal Spirit first let us see some Scripture-proof and then I shall come to shew what a Spirit of Bondage is Now for Scripture-proof I think there is no Character of a Legal Spirit plainer in the Scripture then this I reckon indeed that the first viz. That it is external and fleshly in the serâ—ice of God was a plain Scripture-Character but I think this is rather plainer in Gal. 4.22 23. For it is written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was born after the FLESH but he of the free-woman was by promise which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants The one from Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage which is Hagar This is the Law-Covenant Ergo Legalists are under a spirit of Bondage and they that are predominantly or properly said to be under a spirit of Bondage are Legalists the Proposition is convertible by reason that a spirit of Bondage is a property of a Legal spirit Again for a little more Scripture-proof 1. 'T is proved from its contrary the spirit which is contrary to a spirit of Bondage is a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now this Spirit of Adoption is a peculiar priviledge of the Gospel therefore the spirit of Bondage must belong to the Law Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the
but the Jews yet who greater Legallists then they They at Lystra that would have worshipped Paul and Barnabus for gods to day are by to morrow perswaded by some Jews that came down thither from Antioch and Iconium to stone them Acts 14.11.19 They were the Jews who were so zealous for the Law that cryed out against Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth it is not fit that he should live Acts 22.22 Might not he justly therefore as he doth not by way of revenge but of right appellation call them Dogs Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision those that yet have their great confidences in the flesh ver 3.4 And as it was then in Abraham's time and in the Apostles days so it is now they that are for Ceremonies and Superstitions or meerly for an external way of serving God cannot endure the true spiritual Worshippers I shall now in a word endeavour to shew how this spirit of persecution proceeds from their Legality not that the Law teacheth them any such thing directly but that the corruption of their spirits incited occasionally from the Law puts them upon it Now I suppose it comes to pass thus that seeing they are in such a way of serving God as brings them in no true peace but puts the most of them into great horrors fears and troubles of spirit as is manifested in the former particular and indeed into a secret hatred of God they cannot vent their hatred against God directly that would be too gross and therefore they find out some pretence or other of venting it against his truest and most faithful servants They 'l accuse them of being too strict that they are the troublers of their Israel as Elijah was accused by Ahab 1 King 18.17 though indeed Elijah there sets the Saddle upon the right Horse as the proverb is when he tells Ahab ver 10. I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers House in that ye have forfaken the Commandments of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim So was his successor Elisha served by the King of Israel in his time 2 King 6. where is a most pertinent story to this purpose which I havâ— somewhat touched at above There was indeed a sore Famine in Samaria perhaps upon the prayer of Elisha as before there was upon the prayer of Elijah as appears from 1 King 18.1 compared with James 5.17 18. or at least the King of Israel suspected that he was the cause of it and upon this bears him a grudge but yet Elisha promising or giving some hopes at least that there should be a plenty in some very short time as Commentators say the King thinks fit to wait a while which he in the 33. ver calls waiting on the Lord and he waits with some signs of humiliation for it is said ver 30 that at the story of the womans eating her child he rent his cloaths and the people looked and behold he had sackcloath within upon his flesh And he hath some Religious words for those that came to make their complaint to him ver 26.27 Then cryed a woman unto him saying Help my Lord O King And he said If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee Hitherto all things look pretty well but alas this was all but an external religiousness an external humiliation like that of wicked Ahab Seest thou Ahab humbleth himself And therefore this King 's forced patience hath an end and he breaks out into the highest impatience against God and where hath it its chiefest vent Why in persecuting the Prophet Elisha God do so to me saith he and more also if the Head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day and he senta man from before him to be the Executioner whom Elisha calls the son of a murtherer ver 31 32. Now alas what an absurd and impertinent revenge was this For suppose Elisha had prayed for this punishment of Famine upon the wicked Samaritans what reason had this foolish falsly-religious Wretch to think that there was any sault in Elisha Could he bind up the clouds from raining Or would the Lord have answered a Prayer which had been guilty of cruelty and inhumanity It was God who had sent the Famine not Elisha yea this wicked Prince acknowledged so much This evil is of the Lord saith he ver 33. but here is the my sterie of this iniquity he could not revenge himself upon Heaven and therefore he lets out his rage upon the best man that was upon earth All legal Worshippers have at the bottom of their heart a deep hatred against God and his people In the last place there is in the heart of every Legallist a spirit of envy and emulation They are all sensible more or less at one time or another that they are not acceptable to God and that these Puritans these holy men are and therefore they cannot endure them they envy them for their greatest excellencies and for that they are the favourites of heaven and they cannot endure that seeing they take so much pains as they do in their wrong way as indeed many of them are at great cost and pains in their way they cannot endure that any should be preferred before them Legallists and Spiritual Worshippers are as I may say Rivals for the favour of God Now the spiritual Worshippers take the right way the Legallists take the wrong way to obtain it therefore the first â—â—e received the latter are rejected and cast out What saith the Scriptures Cast out the bond-woman and her son Now there can be no greater â—ud than that which is between Rivals This was the very case bet wixt Cain and Abel which I have several times explained And Cain as I have said had no other quarrel against Abel but for that God accepted of his offering But now whereas a legal spirit is thus wrathful revengeful envious and murtherous the Spirit of the Gospel and of all Saints so far as they are baptized into a Gospel-spirit is a micable peaceable meek gentle and easie to be entreated James 3.17 Hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions envyings murthers are all fruits of the flesh and of those that are BORN AFTER THE FLESH but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace LONG-SUFFERING GENTLENESS GOODNESS What excellent virtues are these for humane Society The Legallist he cryes It is not fit to suffer such Wretches to live away with such an Heretick from the earth Now for the Gospel-spirited man he could wish indeed St. Pauls wish in Acts 26.29 I would to God saith he that not onely thou but all that hear me this day were not onely almost but altogether such as I am except these Bonds he doth not wish them his Bonds that was his GOODNESS that last Gospel-virtue mentioned but he wisheth that all his persecutors were of his perswasion so doth every good man else he could not
Mayne's Treatise of Justification St Paul's Travailing-pangs With his Legal-Galatians OR A Treatise of Justification Wherein these two Assertions are chiefly evinced viz. 1. That Justification is not by the Law but by Faith 2. That yet men are generally prone to seek Justification by the Law Together with several Characters assigned of a Legal and Evangelical spirit To which is added By way of Appendix the manner of transferring Justification from the Law to Faith By Zach. Mayne M. A. My little Children of whom I travail in Birth again till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4.19 Tell me ye that DESIRE to be under the Law now after that ye have known God how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye DESIRE again to be in bondage ver 21.9 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal. 2.19 Mirae quidem inauditae sunt istae definitiones quod vivere Legi sit mori Deo mori Legi sit vivere Deo Tu vero disce eas recte intelligere London Printed by M. I. for Ioseph Leigh at the upper end of Bazing hall street near the Naggs head Tavern and Henry Cripys in Popes-head Ally 1662. The Preface Courteous Reader THe Subject of this Treatise being the Justification of a sinner is very weighty the same things being made in the Scripture the conditions of compleat Justification and Salvation and yet this weighty subject is exceedingly controverted A thing of ill and dangerous consequence If I had therefore any thing to produce that was new and sound upon this argument which might serve for the healing of the breaches that are amongst us I might be very well excused for increasing the vast number of Books by adding one more There are no less then four several opinions amongst good men touching the matter of Justification or the condition of it two of which I may term extream the other two middle or moderate Opinions The first is that of the Antinomians who because the Apostle Paul disputes against Legal Works banish all consideration of Works though the most Evangelical and rightly principled from having any place at all in our Justification Amongst these Luther himself will be found to be a chief Leader though otherwise an eminent servant of God And that I do not accuse him falsly let such passages as these witness for me that are to be found in his Commentary upon the Galatians in which he layes that distinction of Righteousness into active and passive as the foundation of all his building in the doctrine of Justification and so makes the righteousness of the Gospel by which we are justified to be only a passive righteousness Pag. 10. of his Commentary printed at Wittenberg 1535. Ego non quaero Justitiam activam saith he deberem quidem habâ—re facere eam c. that is I seek not after active righteousness I ought indeed to have it and do it but if I had it c. therefore I cast my self rejicio me extra totam justitiam ablivâ—m meam legis divinae simplicietr illam passivam amplector without out of or beyond ALL ACTIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS both mine and that of Gods Law and I simply embrace a passive righteousness which is that of Grace Mercy c. in a word that of Christ and his holy spirit which we do not do but suffer to be done upon us quod non facimus sed patimur So again Summa igitur ars Cristianorum est nescire legem ignorare legem TOTAM justitiam activam that is It is the greatest art and wisedom of a Christian not to know or own the Law Works or any such thing as active righteousness in the matter of Justification Here you see he excludes all kinde of Works whatsoever So again pag. 11. Haec est nostra Theologia c. that is This is our Divinity by which we teach accurately to distinguish between these two righteousnesses active and passive that Faith and Manners may not be confounded Works and Grace But to mention no more see pag. 12. Nihil ergo facimus nos Nihil operamur ad hanc justitiam consequendam Respondeo nihil What then do we do nothing Do we work nothing towards the obtaining of this righteousness I answer nothing quia haec justitia est prorsus nihil facere nihil audire nihil scire de Lege aut de Operibus sed hoc sâ—lum scire credere quod Christus transierit ad Patrem jam non videtur that is Because this Righteousness this passive Gospel-righteousness is only to DO NOTHING to hear nothing to know nothing of the Law or Works but only to know and believe this that Christ is gone to the Father and is not now to be seen Here are indeed many good words and Gospel expressions That we must go to Grace and Mercy and that the Law cannot save us that we must not tamper with the Law in the matter of Justification we must ignorare legem nescire legem be wholly ignorant of and disown the Law in the matter of Justification These are all good expressions were it not for their companions such as these I cast my self extra totam justitiam activam out OF ALL ACTIVE righteousness meam divinae Legis that is All of one kinde or another Legal or Evangelical so it be active righteousness So again That I simply embrace a passive righteousness such as we do not do but suffer What will be said then to Faith it self Surely we act it not suffer it only and that is our Gospel-righteousness Again to shut out MANNERS out of Justification is strange But the worst expression of all is that last quoted What then do we do nothing Do we work nothing towards the obtaining our Justification I answer nothing Because THIS Gospel RIGHTEOUSNESS IS INDEED TO DO NOTHING BUT ONLY TO BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS GONE TO THE FATHER c. Neither can these passages of Luther be interpreted of the first justification of a Sinner upon his first believing which I wish they could that there faith justifies without works which one ingeniously yet truly expresseth thus Fides foeta justificat ante partum that faith though it have only an obediential frame and disposition in it to do good works yet effectually justifies at first conversion before such good works are brought forth I say Luthers expressions cannot be taken in this sense for he manifestly speaks of the whole life and practice of a Christian or Saint of God in his treating with God for his justification and pardon at any time Ego non quaerâ— justitiam activam saith he that is I do not seek after active righteousness now at this time that I am a Christian that is I do not value it in the business of Justification not but chat he did seek after holiness of life as he saith himself Deberem quidem habere facere eam I ought indeed
Antinomian that is destructively so that is a Libertine for there is a partial Antinomianism as well as a partial Legality that is not destructive because he falls under an easie obvious conviction except he have gotten a brawny conscience for that his miscarriages are more gross whereas a Legalists faults are hidden and spiritual However I am sure there is both for the number of Legalists and their usual rootedness in that distemper reason for equal provision to be made about them to what there is to be made about the Antinomians Now finding that there was not at least not finding that there was equal care taken I adventured to say something about it I wish I may provoke some other to do it better they shall have my hearty prayers to the Lord for their assistance in such a work And besides these several reasons which I have mentioned as moving me to the composing of this Treatise especially that part of it which consists of the characters there was another very prevailing with me it was my own necessity of being well enlightened about this matter For I found dayly use use of some of the observations which I have here given thee in every prayer yea in the mannagement of my spirit all the day long I found the Law striving to get the mastery of my spirit that is sin by the severity of the commandemâ—nt would have destroyed all that little life and quickness which I had in the service of God would have made me unwilling to serve God to be averse unto him and his wayes yea to conceive a professed displeasure against God himself till I have been relieved by some of these considerations which I here tender unto thee for the same end with an earnest prayer that they may do thy soul good as I hope they have done mine And I doubt not but Luther being a good man and one of a great spirit had a considerable and worthy design in endeavouring to get the Law out of his conscience as his phrase is I mean getting it from its dominion over him though he might herein over-do it as it is certain he did over-speak it I shall here do him the right to quote a large and lively branch of his Discourse that is not as I apprehend lyable to exception it is in his Preface or Argument before his Commentary pag. 14. saith he When at any time the Law would ascend into thy conscience domineer there ibi domâ—naci say unto it Law or Lady Law as in some places he speaks Domina Lex wilt thou ascend into the Kingdom of my conscience rule there argue it of sin and take away my joy which I have by faith in Christ and bring me into desperation that I perish hoc praeter officium tuum facis here thou goest beyond thy Commission stay within thy own bounds consiste intra tuos limites exerce dominium in carnem and exercise dominion over my flesh which expression I do not well understand except it be that so farr as we are fleshly we are still under the Law and therefore as the Law was given to humble us at first so it hath the same use still as also to direct our lives exercise thy dominion over my flesh conscientiam autem ne atting as mihi but offer not to touch my conscience for I am baptized and called by the Gospel into the communion of righteousness and eternal life unto the Kingdom of Christ in which my conscience is quieted or doth acquiesce where there is no Law that is no Law for condemnation but meer remission of sins mera remissio peccatorum peace quietness joy salvation and eternal life ista ne interâ—nrbes mihi do not hinder me nor disturb me in the enjoyment possession of these things let not the Law which is an hard tyrant and cruel exactor reign in my conscience but Christ the Son of God the King of Peace and Righteousness the most sweet Saviour and Mediator And now I have have onely this to beg pardon of thee for that I have spoken to so great and weighty things in so unstudyed and undigested a dress and method but as an argument to prevail with thee for my pardon I assure thee that could I have promised my self an opportunity of printing these papers some two or three years hence and the Lord continued life I should have detained them in my own custody so long on purpose that they might have received a better formation If thou take offence at me for that I have taken liberty in something or other to vary from most of those few Authors that I quote in the Treatise I crave not thy pardon for it for neither will the Authors themselves have any reason to be angry when they consider and believe that if I had not valued them I should never have quoted them and but for that I valued the truth before them I should never have varied from them Once more Reader if thou shouldest think it undecent that there should be any thing in the following Advertisement for which I am so much beholden to the Reverend Author of it different from what is asserted in the body of the Book as for instance that the Author seemeth to judge that there is no repetition of the act of Justification as it signifies pardon that Works justifie only in sensu morali not in sensu forensi take this for thy satisfaction that I had full power from the Worthy Author of it to have left â—ut yea or put in what I pleased in the printing of it But I presumed not to adde or diminish one tittle as judging it but equity and justice that others especially the Learned should have the same liberty to differ from me that I take to differ from them Besides I account this so farr from being any lessening to the value of the testimony given me that I reckon it a greater advantage to receive it from a Learned man from whom I presumed to differ than if he had been perfectly of my minde Now the presence of God and of thy best understanding be with thee in the reading and so I bid thee farewell Thine in Christ Zach. Mayne An Advertisement unto the READER concerning the Author Subject and contents of the Treatise ensuing THE Treatise in thy hand whilest yet unread may possibly suffer in thy esteem through want of years in the Composer against which inconvenience I thought it might be some kinde of relief unto it to send it forth attended with a sober Preface drawn up by a Person whose years though but meanly improved are sufficient to discern between impertinencies and matters of weight and worth The Apostle in this brief address unto Timothie Let no man despise thy youth * 1 Tim. 4.12 supposeth two things 1. That youth is obnoxious to neglect or undervaluing by men 2. That young men may nonwithstanding redeem themselves from under this disadvantage and stave
Doctrine then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Spiritual Wickedness which so much haunteth it especially in the practique of it I mean the Spirit that so violently and this so generally tempteth and importuneth men to take somewhat from the Law for the relief of Christ in his great work of Justification as if in this case also it were true that two are better then one This Spirit I believe was never more narrowly sifted or more closely pursued then here He is detected by certain signs and symptomes lurking in several forms and shapes at the root of the hearts and minds of men yea it is here shewed that there are few or none so purely distinctly and sixedly Evangelical in their notion of Justification but some grudgings at least of Legalism hang upon them as if they durst not entrust themselves or their souls in the hand of the Grace or Promise of God in Christ without some encouragement from Moses But the comfort is that every touch or tincture of this bewitching Spirit is not exclusive from the blessing of Justification a truth well stated in the Discourse before thee The reason or occasion rather why this Epilectical Distemper of falling upon the Law in the high concernment of Justification is so Epidemical amongst the children of men seems to be the most transcendent brightness of the glory of the Grace of God in his terms or way of Justification which exceeding brightness doth so praestringere oculos dazle the weak eye of their Reason and Understanding that they are very hardly able to look stedfastly upon it without some refraction or allay as it is said that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance but were afraid to come nigh him yea Aaron himself was afraid until he had put a covering oâ— Veil upon his face that is I conteive not such a covering which did altogether hide or keep from their sight the lustre or shining of his face but which only did as it were correct the disproportion of it to their sight and reduce it to a temper or degree passable with it and pleasing to it Exod. 34 30.33 c. with 2 Cor. 3 7.13 To bring forth the mind of God concerning justification in respect of the absolute freeness and non-deâ—endency of it upon the Laâ— into a clear convincing and satisfactory light is I conceive the highest service that can lightly be performed to the Christian world He that is well grounded and rooted in the knowledge hereof and also understands in any good measure the weight and worth of a justified estate stands upon ground of the greatest advantage to anticipate his future equality with the holy Angells as well in holiness as in happiness and joy For I believe that the Grace of God in Justification thoroughly apprehended and seriously believed is of too strong an eng agement yea too soveraignly enclining unto holiness to be readily or easily turned into wantonness But I keep thee too long in the Porch for in the House thou wilt find many more pleasant things for in matters of spiritual concernment all profitable things are to be counted pleasant then I have all this while acquainted thee with There are divers choice strains of Spiritual Discourse with several lights set up in many dark places of Scripture which I have not set down in my Inventory For I judge it more honourable to the Author yea and to his friend also that was willing to serve his pen with a few lines of good will that his Treatise be found above his Preface rather then beneath it My desire and design in this my Anteloquium was not so much to raise as to encourage thy expectation To wish thee as much Christian satisfaction and contentment iâ— the perusal of the Treatise as my self received by the Author imparting some of the Contents unto me would be to wish thee liberally The blessing of him that justifieth the ungodly and yet is just in so doing be upon thee and upon all thy Conscientious labours and applications unto him in the use of all means which he hath sealed for the saving of thy soul and when thou shalt be full of comfort and peace forget not him who remembreth thee at the Throne of Grace and resteth Thy Christian Friend that hath but one heart for thee and himself J. G. ERRATA PAg. 3. lin 10. read times p. 5. l. 7. r. Gal. 2.16 p. 8 l. 26. leave out and then the Law must justifie him pag. 9. lin last r. Joh. 8.7 p. 10. l. 26. r. us by p. 11. l. 16. leave our therefore p. 21. l. 27. r. Covenant p. 22. l. 12. r. Rom. 10.5 p. 23. l. 20. r. serveth p. 53. l. 11. r. this ibid. lin 33. r. Ordinances p. 58. l. 1. r. Commentators p. 63. l. 7. r. makes p. 67. l. last r. and thou p. 81. l. 7. r. we are p. 86. l. 8. r. Epaphras ult r. from the 15 to the 19. p. 87. l. 31. r. have thought p. 90. l last r. take p. 92. l. 26. r. no good p. 103. l. 1. r. wonder p. 115. l. 1. r. own p. 124. l. 19. r. Iustice p. 135. l. last r. thou set p 137. 1. 31. leave out they p. 139. l. 20. r. none p. 180. l. last r. spirit for call p. 192. last 5 lines to be left out p. 194. l. 9. r. same time p. 1â—5 l 9. r. hands lin 21. r. honest p. 197. l. 16. 1. cruelties p. 200. l. 26. r. so farr lin lastr self p. 202. l. 9. r. legality p. 210. l. 23. r. how Ahab p. 231. l. 14. 1. and. l. 25 r. discourse l. 31. r. Pharisce 232. l. 15. r. certainly p 258. l. 17. r. neglect to study p. 239. l. 3. r. Christ p. 243. l. last r. terminated p. 244 l 8. r. from p. 310. l. 5. for Christ read sin p. 321. l. 1. r. saith p. 323. marg r inference from it p. 341. l. 15. r. that p. 345. l. 19. r. fundamental p. 349. l. 34. r. thy Of Justification JUstification may be considered as an Act of God upon the Creature The deâ—â—nicion or description of Iustification or as a state of the Creature resulting from that act As God's act it is God's reckoning or reputing a man just and righteous As the Creatures state it is his being reckoned and standing for just and righteous in the sight of God That this is a Scripture-desinition or description may appear from Rom. 2.13 For not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Where to be just before God and to be justified is all one therefore Justification is a man's being just before God reckoned reputed by God so to be Another place that proves this description you have Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justifyed by the Law in the sight of God is evident for the just shall live by Faith The
world now the whole World becomes guilty before God by the law and every mouth is silenced and stopped by it I do not say that the law as given to the Jews by Moses had this effect upon the Gentiles to whom it was not given but the Apostle tells us Rom. 2.15 how this came to pass that the law though not given to the Gentiles in the same manner as it was to the Jews did yet convince and condemn the Gentiles as well as the Jews because the effect and substance of the same law that was written upon Tables of Stone by Moses was written in the hearts of the Gentiles so that their thoughts did accuse them when they did evil as well as excuse them when they did well Now hence I draw an argument a minorâ—â— If the law written upon the hearts of the Gentiles though obscurely had yet an accusing and condemning power in it to them how might it well have upon the Jews to whom it was delivered plainly written and engraven in stones with thunder lightning earthquakes as is before expressed That which I have to add upon the third great end of the Law it's being delivered viz. to direct and bring the wounded sinner to Christ O How 〈…〉 Christ is by way of answer to this question How did the Law lead to Christ I shall give several answers unto this question and first of all The Law was our School-master unto Christ A. â—â— as the Dispensation of the Law made way for the Dispensation of the Gospel Sowre things make the sweet more pleasant Darkness makes Light more desirable Slavery and Severity makes Liberty more welcom Quineseâ—t servâ—re nescit imperare the School makes fair way for the University This consideration makes the succession of the Gospel to the Law more comely and it is insisted on very much by the Apostle in Gal. 4 for the seven first verses Ver. 3. When we were Children we were in bondage unto the Law but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son to redeem us into liberty and to give us the spirit of sons Gal. 3 23. Before Faith came we were kept under the Law and kept under by the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed wherefore the Law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith but after that faith is come we are no longer under a School-Master it would now be an incongruous thing to be under a School-master any longer as it was very convenient that before we should be and thus the Law was a School-master unto Christ as John Baptist was by its severities to humble us and break our hearts and to make us 〈◊〉 people ready prepared for the Lord. And the beauty great conveniency of the succession of these two Administrations of the Law Gospel each to other appears still in the great work of Conversion upon every sinners heart where the same method is observed first to humble the soul by legal convictions then to make a discovery of Christ the Grace of the Gospel And this our practical Divines insist much upon in their Sermons and Treatises giving us this account of the Work of Grace upon the heart that first there is conviction compunction and humiliation all yet a legal work then Faith or Conversion And I do verily believe that the Spirit of God doth use this method though as all acknowledge not with the same degrees in every work of Regeneration And again they observe that as after the Gospel and Faith is come it is absurd to return to the Law of Moses in the whole Dispensation of it so they apply that Scripture Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear to this purpose That after men have received the Spirit of Adoption which in some degree every regenerate person hath received they receive not again the spirit of bondage to fear which they take to be a spirit of legal convictions preparatory to the Work of Conversion and indeed according to the Calvinist-principles it must needs be true that after they are regenerate they can never receive a spirit of Bondage again because a spirit of bondage is not Grace but onely preparatory to it and therefore men that have once been regenerate can never return to this Spirit without being emptied of all Grace But here it may be further queryed Q How did the Law direct those to Christ that lived and lived before Christ came that indeed it is not to be doubted that the Law in the dispensation of it made excellent way unto the Gospel for those that were to live in the days of the Gospel as we find in the Analogical succession of Law and Gospel in the Work of Grace but how was the Law a School-Master unto Christ to those that lived in the dayes of the Old-Testament Who dyed before Christ came How were they directed to Christ by the Law The Law might perhaps be a Ministration of death and desperation only to them How did the Law witness the righteousness of God by Faith unto them In answer I shall first of all premise these two things and then answer more directly 1. Negatively that to these it must not come to destroy the promise and the covenant that was made before nor the comfort of it It must not come to hinder but they might have as true saving comfort from the promises as the Saints before the Law had or else the Law had been against the promises which the Apostle denyes with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. It must preach Christ to them as truly though perhaps not so clearly as it doth unto us Thirdly and more directly The Law did preach Christ to the Jews under the Old-Testament these two ways 1. Virtually or consequentially 2. Formally and expresly 1. Virtually as it convinced them all of their necessity of some other besides a legal Righteousness as I have shewn at large in explaining the second end of giving the Law because of transgressions 2. Expresly as it made mention of Christ and this it did either improperly figuratively in types and shadows or properly in the prophecies and promises of Christ Or the answer may be better given after this distinction of the Law A different acceptation of the Law in the Scripture The Law in Scripture amongst the various significations of it hath these two very eminent 1. It signifies the strict and bare command and so is naturally a Covenant of Works that hath no mercy or grace in it can onely justifie the righteous and condemn the transgressor and in this sence it hath been taken by me for the most part hitherto in my Discourse I have produced several places where it is taken in this sence in the Scripture Take that for instance As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse as it is written Cursed
his face so that they could not look stedfastly to the end of his Dispensation The fault of the first Covenant There was some kind of fault as it were in the Law it self so the Apostle tells us Heb. 8.7 For if that first Covenant had been faultless there should no place have been sought for the second What this fault was is commonly known and discoursed and it was the obscurity of it the promises of it were not so plain therefore it is said Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant establisht upon better promises ver 6. There was a Covenant of works inserted in their Dispensation Else how could the Apostle give you a description of the righteousness of it out of Moses Which he doth both in Rom. 10.5 and Gal. 3.12 And no caveat entred in the place where the Covenant of Works is delivered 'T is true the same Moses describeth the righteousness of Faith too but an inobservant Reader might chance to mistake the Covenant of Works for his way to Heaven as well as take the Covenant of Grace for his way and they might keep in that way all their lives if they were not strict observers of the effects of that way upon their Consciences which was to gall and sting them and weary them out of their very lives till they came to the way of Grace And thus we find the generality of the Jews did mistake and ruined themselves by it so that unless God had by a wonderful hand as he plucked Lot out of Sodom and perhaps by irresistable illuminations and attractions brought a remnant to himself all Israel had been burnt up by the Wrath of God they had been as Sodom and Gomorrah Rom. 9.29 to the end Rom. 10.1.2.3 I might well transcribe every word of these eight Verses Now this was the fault which God found with his first Covenant that though it were a Covenant of Grace yet he is so gracious that he thought it was not plain enough to save the generality of them they would be still mistaking and misconstruing his Covenant it would not make them holy enough nor save enough of them and therefore this Fault the Lord amends in the second â—ovenant in the New-Covenant Heb. 8 9 For finding fault he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Aegypt because here is the reason of the change because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not It was a Covevenant which they brake with me and I brake with them upon there was a fault in that Covenant which seems to be this It had not Grace enough in it to hold them they continued not in it The fault is laid upon the Covenant not so much upon the parties covenanting though they were not free from blame God indeed was free he was ready to give his Grace and Spirit under the first Covenant but the Covenant was not a free channel for conveyance of this precious Water of Life for the Spirit runs freest in the clear promise therefore the Gospel which is full of rich and plain promises is called the ministration of the Spirit and called by the Name of Spirit whereas the Law of Moses was a dead meer out-side literal thing in comparison of it 2 Cor. 3.6 I say the fault was laid upon the covenant which yet was a covenant of Grace Now what other fault it could be then this that the Lord did not think it gracious enough I cannot imagine and I think that is the fault the Scripture pitcheth upon Now because Moses's Dispensation or the first covenant made with the Jews was thus faulty had a covenant of Works in 〈◊〉 and was mistaken by the Jews to be a covenant of Works it might well be called by the Apostle There was the same reason of the Gospel its being added to the Law that there was of the dispensation of Moses to be added to what they knew of God before a killing letter a ministration of death and condemnation and deserve to be abrogated and disannulled if the Lord will make a better clearer more gracious and saving and yet it can by no means be concluded hence that it was truly either in its own nature or in the intention of the Lord who gave it a covenant of Works nay the contrary hereunto is sufficiently evinced Ob. 4. But yet there is a very considerable Objection behind which is thus You have acknowledged that in Moses's Writings there is a covenant of Works described that St. Paul asserts now I will add saith the Objection that it is not onely there described but there commended to the children of Israel as a part at least if not the chiefest part of the Dispensation by Moses and it is given with as great Authority and hath as solemn a Sanction upon it as any part of the Law of Moses for in that place which the Apostle Paul quotes out of Moses viz. Lev. 18.5 for the description of a legal righteousness we have these words Ye shall therefore keep mp Seatutes and my Judgements which if a man do he shall live in them I am the Lord. So in the fore-going verses 1 2. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them I am the Lord your God then follow the three verses wherein the covenant of Works is described ver 3. After the doings of the Land of Aegypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not do and after the doings of the Land of Canaan whither I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their Ordinancee Ver. 4. Ye shall do my Judgements and keep mine Ordinances to walk therein I am the Lord your God Ver 5. Ye shall therefore keep my Statutes and my Judgements which if a man do he shall live in them I am the Lord. Here I observe 1. The simplicity and plainness of the delivery of these commands which contain the covenant of Works they are delivered without any caveat or caution to the Reader lest he should mistake this for his covenant which he should be saved by 2. I observe the Authority and Majesty they are delivered with even with this addition three several times in the compass of four verses I am the Lord and I am the Lord your God This doth not look like an old antiquated covenant made with Adam about 2000. years before and of use to him but onely for the strst day of his creation I conclude therefore saith the objector That it is a valid covenant and delivered with intention that men should be justified by it And besides I add that which hath great strength in it That even Jesus Christ himself repeats this covenant of Works in Moses his own Words and directs a man to this
covenant of Works for these two reasons 1. For that the ceremonial law neither was nor could be a part of the covenant of Works which the moral law both was and is to all that are under a covenant of works 2dly and consequently I therefore kept off from any consideration of the ceremonial law in my discourses about the law its being given by Moses that so I might have my discourse run clear in the business of the covenant of works and draw a line in it from Adams estate in innocency to the very days of the Gospel which with any mixture of discourse about the ceremonial law would have been broken and disturbed VVhereas now you see the law taken strictly for a covenant of works might have justified Adam but could not justifie the children of Israel and therefore though added to the promise given to Abraham and that in the language of a covenant of works yet was never given with design that they should accept it for such unto Justification which appears from this double demonstration as I may call it a priori a posteriori A priori for that before the law was given there was a covenant of Grace which the law could not come in to disannul and a posteriori for that the very same Moses that brought their law from God out of the Mount did not more truly acquaint them with the nature of a legal righteousness then he did with the righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart c. being a text quoted out of the same Moses Deut. 30.11 which make this argument vvherefore should Moses first describe to you a legal righteousness and tell you as appears by clear consequence out of him that ye cannot attain unto that righteousness and then describe unto you the righteousness of faith but for this end that ye might forgo the one cleave to the other And there are infinite places in other Scriptures of the Old-Testament which give their testimony to Christ and the Righteousness of Faith which sufficiently argue that the Old-Testament never went about to establish a way of Justification by the Law And here I think it may be of great use to search into this place of Moses which the Apostle asserts to contain the description of the righteousness which is by faith that so we may find both that it is so and what this righteousness of faith is The place is Deut. 30.11 to 15. quoted and paraphrased by the Apostle Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. An inquiry into the sense of Deut 30 11 12 in Rom. 10.6 But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven c. clearly referring to Deut. 30.11 12 as any may see in the Margent of their Bibles Now let us go to that place in Deut. and see what Gospel there is in it and how evident it is that there is Gospel in it The words are these For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it but the Word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it This is the whole Paragraph in which the covenant of Grace or the righteousness of Faith is described according to the Apostle Paul But how is the Gospel or righteousness of Faith described here First of all I must separate that which doth not seem to look like Gospel from that which is pure Gospel in this place And here we may observe That the matter of the Gospel spoken of is the law or commandment which he had delivered to them This Commandment which I command thee this day the same which is spoken of as I think there being no visible difference as to matter in Lev. 18.5 the place asserted by the Apostle to contain a legal righteousness it was for matter the law of Moses This Commandment saith he which I command thee this day Again I think it will appear to be meant of the ten commandments because it is added That Commandment which I command thee is not far from thee but is nigh thee even in thy heart and mouth Now the ceremonial law was not written in their heart neither had all the children of Israel nor the generality of them to whom yet this is spoken been taught the law effectually by the Spirit of God so as that should be the sense of these words This Commandment is in thine heart and indeed that is the promise of the new Covenant not of this by Moses but the effect of the Moral law was in their heart for it was in the heart of Heathens If it be objected as perhaps it may by some that the matter of the Commandment which Moses commanded them that day was not likely to be the ten commandments nor that chiefly nor to be the same with that in Lev. 18. because this is in Deuteâ—â—româ— which very word signifies a second Law or a second Edition and giving of the Law and had more Gospel in it then the Law in the first giving of it had I answer 1. by concession That there were indeed two several Covenants which the Lord is said to have made by Moses with the children of Israel Deut. 29.1 These are the words of the Covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the Land of Moab be ides the Covenant which he made with them in Hoâ—eb which a as a Mountain adjoining to if not a part of Mount Sinat 2. That perhaps in this Deutetonomy or second Covenant by Moses there 〈◊〉 mâ—â—â— promises and more of Gospel then in the first Edition of the Law there was But 3dly This doth not hinder but the commandment mentioned in Deut. â—0 might be chiefly for matter of it the moral Law or ten Commandments 't is true there were promises added to encourage unto the keeping of them and there were also terrible threatnings unto the breaking of them all the twelve tribes being divided into two equal parts the one half placed upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people that were obedient to the Law the other half upon Mount Ebal to curse all that brake it Deut 27.11 12 13 But that commandment for the sake of which these promises and threatnings were added was the Law of the ten words or two tables which were twice given to Moses in Sinai and again repeated in this Covenant in the Land of Moab as we may see in Deut. 5. and the very word Deut. signifies a second Law or a second giving of the Law
stand firm and unshaâ—en That the law is no way to sinners for Justification That Faith is a way and the onely way and that God hath set up this way without which all mankind must have perished and that he hath led his people in this way throughout all ages before the law and under the law that as they were all under sin by the law so they were likewise under the discoveries of Grace for their Justification by Faith I come now to some more practical and experimental inquiries which I shall introduce with an use of Conviction and Reprehension from the Doctrinal part of the foregoing Discourse VVE have seen in the foregoing Discourse that there are but two wayes of Justification the one by Works the other by Faith that these two are opposite one to the other that the Law or Works is now no way to fallen man but Faith onely that all that ever were justified were justified by faith even Abraham and David and all the Saints of God under the Old-Testament all the Saints before the giving of the law by Moses and ever after yea the Gentiles themselves if any were saved must be saved this way An use Conviction and Reproof How greatly then are they mistaken that even under the Gospel will needs be justified by Works This falls with clear evidence of conviction and reprehension upon such a generation of men and yet such there are in abundance who would think it even at this day yea the greatest part of professors run this way Although man be turned out of Paradice which was his place of Justification by Works and at the door a Cherubin be set with a flaming Sword to dispute the passage yet they will needs enter again though they venture life and soul and all Though Mount Sinai be covered all over with smoke though they hear the thunderings see the lightnings feel the Earth quake at a distance and be forbid to approach the Mount yet they wiâ— make up towards a cousuming fire that wil certainly devour them Though one way of Justification be impossible so that the Apostle professeth That if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3.21 I say though one be absoluteâ— impossible and the other way easie yet they wiâ— leave the easie way and take that way which is no passable way at all Yea though after they are entred upon that way they feel themselves lasheâ— and galled and stung as it were to death with fierâ— Serpents in a Wilderness and Labyrinth of guilts and pressures of Spirit yet they will not be beaten off from going this way but onely a very few of them They run still upon the Pikes and press upon the thick Bosses of God's Bucklers Yea â— thing stranger yet Though the law it self preach faith yet those that pretend to very great skill it the law and are called great boasters of the lawâ— they will not believe the law in this particularâ— though the law give witness to the way of believing yet they will understand the law as giving testimony rather to its own way of Justification Now to set home this Conviction and Reprehension Consider that there are these four great iniquities found in a legal Spirit 1. An horrible perversness and self-willednefs When God would have them go one way they will go another 〈◊〉 right cousness of God is revealed in the Gospel from faith to faith as it is written The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 And they give God the lye and say The Just shall live by Works and will go the quite opposite and contraty way 2. Here we see their intollerable pride which is the root of this self-willedness they will not be justified by Gods Righteousness but by their own Righteousness they prefer their own Way to God's their own dis-approved Works to God's approved Way of Righteousness 3. Here we see the sottish senselesness and brutish fool-hardiness of these men for in doing thus they are as a Ship that runs her self upon a Rock as a Moth that flyes at the Candle they perish every Mothers Child of them that thus steer their course 4. See the high dis-ingenuity that there is in this way of theirs What do they herein but spurn at the very bowels of their Heavenly Father When God had found man fallen by his own voluntary defection he might have left him as he did the fallen Angels to have perished for ever but he was graciously resolved not so to lose his creature but finds out a way how he might recover his creature Man again in which certainly there are most admirable contrivances of Wisdom Power and Mercy and he proposeth terms of Reconciliation he offers his Sons blood bids the sinner but come and humble himself and ask pardon and return to his Allegiance and trust in him for Pardon Grace and Perseverance to Eternal life No saith the Legal self-Justificiary I have never sinned I have deserved no anger no displeasure I need no pardon no mercy I have no need of the blood of Christ I say all this and a great deal more which were not fit to be expressed must lie as in the Seed and in the Root in a Legal Spirit though perhaps it may never come directly to such expressions nor actual imaginations for let any one but imagine what would be the Language of a sinner that seeks not Justification by Faith Grace and Mercy but by the Law which can justifie none but for perfect and unerring obedience and I think I may say it can be no other but such as I have mentioned or fat worse it must be onely a deal of blasphemy against the Grace of God as useless and needless against the person of Christ as coming into the World to save sinners when there was no need oâ— a Saviour c Now to have these things lye in his heart at the bottom though but as in a spawn not perfected or come to the birth how odious must it needs be in the eyes of God and good men And yet all this lies in a legal-Spirit for which they justly lie under a severe reproof from the foregoing assertions Obj. But surely may some say there are no such men as these you mention there are none that pretend themselves perfectly holy there are none but think they stand in need of pardon we all cry God mercy for our sins and why should you say that men are generally apt to do thus to seek Justification by Works and that most professors run this way I answer Ans 1. That it is true few men profess to go this way amongst us and perhaps few ever except those that do or have held perfection in this life and that as a thing necessary to salvation did profess to expect salvation by the Law as a Covenant of Works in the strict sense of it 2. That yet there are very many and as I
this legality lies of what it consists which men are so generally inclinable unto and this is the chief thingin the Conviction this I shall dispatch in three Propositions the first is negative shewing what it is not yet ought to be if they understood what they go about 1. It is not a professed putting themselves upon the Law of God strictly as it requires perfect unerring obedience for Justification so the Jews durst not adventure their souls the Jews acknowledged themselves sinners though not such sinners as the Gentiles We find when the Jews brought the Woman to Christ that was taken in Adultery he set the Woman at liberty by this Sentence of stoning her He that hath no sin let him 〈◊〉 the first stone Neither did the Galatians assert themselves free from sins alas they had been sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 4.8 They had been Idolaters and accordingly the Apostle disputes against them with such arguments as took that pro confesso that they were sinners Gal. 3.10 Is many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Now surely as it might be supplyed you will not pretend to have continued in all things therefore you cannot expect to be justified by the works of the Law Though I must needs say this If they had gone wisely to work in their seeking Justification by the Law they must first have found themselves free from sin hitherto of their lives together with a power of keeping themselves free for the remainder of their lives or else must have desisted in the beginning and therefore the Apostle batters down their high imaginations of self-righteousness with such arguments as these The Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things now you have not continued in all things And in Rom. 3.19 20. when the Apostle had recited a Catalogue of sins out of the Law he infers Now we know that whatsoever things the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law and so to you Jews especially that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God As much as to have said As for all these sins some are found in one and some in another and where-ever any of them is found there that man's mouth is stopped by the Law and every such person is become guilty or subâ—ect to the Judgement of God 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin the Law tells you what is sin and so the wrath due to sin and by the Law every transgrestion should receive a just recompence of reward And so Gal. 5.3 I testifie again to every man that is circumcised which was the usual sign of their going off to the Law that he is a debtor to do the whole Law And yet this you dare not undertake O ye Galatians this you dare not profess to do A strange Dispensation that they gave themselves that they would aim to be justified by the Law and yet not hold themselves obliged to keep the whole Law How could they ever think that the Law should justifie them and yet these arguments brought by the Apostle to convince them both shew that they did not pretend to answer the Law byunerring obedience and fulfilling of it as also that they should have done thus had they gone wisely to work So much for the first Proposition shewing what their way was not yet ought to have been had they understood themselves 2. Yet though they did not profess to appeal to a strict Covenant of Works for Justification and did not understand themselves in what they did yet by the way that the Jews Galatians took for righteousness they fell under that way of Works were so reckoned by God to be and by the Apostle in his Discourses against them else his Arguments had concluded nothing against them And the reason is this for that though they did not formally intend a Covenant of Works yet the way they took was of that nature and tendency and we have a distinction in the Schools of sinis Scientiae Scientis now the sinis Scientiae is eternal and unalterable as proceeding from the nature of the thing let the finis Scientis be what it will so if the way they took be legal it is no matter whether they intended it or no. But you will say What was that in their way or what is that in this way which you say men usually taken which makes it so justly and unavoidably be called and reckoned by God a putting our selves under a Covenant of Works though we are not our selves aware of it I answer in the third and last place 3dly Wherein Legality consists positively It is such a mixture of the Covenant of Works with the Covenant of Grace as in which the Covenant of Works is predominant and so most justly gives the denomination to their way I fix upon the Word Predominant For else as I shal shew anon all the Saints have some legal mixtures in their Spirits even whilst they treat God for their justification and acceptation but because they are byassed and swayed more by Evangelical Principles then by Legal they are after the Spirit not after the Flesh in the business of Justification I shewed in the first Proposition that the Jews and Galatians did not profess themselves perfectly holy and so durst not appeal to the Law in a strict sense for a righteousness I shall now further shew how in many things it appears that these Legallists even whilst such did profess and adhere to the Gospel which is the way of Grace and then that yet by reason of their Legal mixtures all their Gospel was soured to them and turned into so much Law and they are no longer to be reckoned for Christians but the Disciples of Moses in Gal. 5.2 3 4. There are three proofs of this together that they were great professors of the Gospel when yet at the same time the Apostle disputes against them as adhering to a Covenant of Works for Justification Ver. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you That if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Here you see they thought to have had some profit and benefit by Christ Now this was a great mixture of Gospel in their way for if hope of benefit by Christ be not Gospel what is Nay you may see in another place of this Epistle that they had hope in the death of Christ which certâ—inly is a mixture of the Gospel with their Legal way Gal. 2.21 If righteousness come by the Law as your way leads you to say then Christ is dead in vain but you will not allow that Christ died in vain you hope for benefit from the death of Christ notwithstanding your cleaving to
the Law for a righteousness Here was a great mixture you see of Gospel with their way And in the 3d. ver of Gal. 5. we see they thought it was not their duty to keep the whole Law but that I have spoken to already in ver 4. You may see yet the strangest mixture of Gospel in their way which yet the Apostle calls Legal that can be imagined for they did profess themselves all this while they so cryed up the Law were such admirers of it and Votaries to it they did profess themselves to be under Grace to be in the way of Grace Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law â—e are fallen from Grace that is from the way of Grace and Mercy to be upon perfect strict exact terms with God Ye renounce the Grace of God the benefit of Christ's death Christ can do you do good let your false Preachers call what they preach Gospel while they will and you may think you are removed to another and better Gospel then what you received from me chap. â— v. 6 7 8. But there is no other Gospel but what I preached Some indeed have perverted the Gospel of Christ and made it a mongrel thing but it 's Name now muse not be Gospel any longer but Law and Works not Grace and Gospel Here you have â—â—en that they did not only avoid the rigor of the Law in exacting perfect obedience to a tittle but did take in the Gospel-Principles into their way of Justification such as the Death of Christ and the Grace of God and yet these were legal all this while else the Apostle had disputed impertinently where he had no Adversary Now what was that which soured all their Gospel which made their Grace no Grace and their Christ no Christ and made them perfect Debtors to the Law thus unexpectedly to themselves but this that they went to make a compromise betwixt the Law and the Gospel in the matter of Justification they would join them together that were as irreconcilable as fire and water The Law is not of Faith if it be of Grace then it is no more of works otherwise work is no more work Now by reasoâ— of the incompossibility and incompatibleness of these two in their * For else as the Elements are said to be mixed in a natural body losing their proper forms so the Lâ—w and Gospel will well mix one of them viz. the Law losing as I may say its natural form of a Covenant of works may be well reconciled to the Gospel and mixed with it for the matter of it proper and precise notion and nature they that mix these two must destroy one of them they can never agree togegether in this business of Justification any otherwise then heat and cold agree in water that look unto what degree the one is there the other is expelled so much as there is of cold so much there is wanting of heat and so much as there is of heat so much there is wanting of cold so here so much as there is wanting of legality in any heart so much there is of a gospel-Gospel-Spirit é contra Now because these Jews and Galatians did more hanker after the Law then after the Gospel though they owned many Gospel-principles and durst not own the Law in the strictness of it yet their predominancy of inclination to the Law for righteousness justly gave them the denomination of Legal as the predominancy of cold in water justly gives it the name of cold water and the Evangelical or Gospel-like men and women though they have always had some Legal-mixtures in their obedience yet because Gospel-Principles are predominant they obtain the name of Spiritual and Evangelical And according to this representation which I have now given of Legal-persons that is that they are more propending and inclining to the Law then to the Gospel doth the Apostle be-speak them and speak of them he speaks to them so in Gal. 4.21 Tell me saith he you that Desire to be under the Law They were such as though they durst not quit the Gospel and come off wholly to the Law yet had a desire to be under the Law So he speaks of them Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained unto the Law of righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law And this though it were but anâ— as it were and a Desire yet it ranked them under a Covenant of Works and accordingly the Apostle useth such arguments against them as would have served any that had perfectly renounced the way of Faith and the Death of Christ and wholly betaken themselves to the Law of Works I have done with the second particular in the Conviction viz. the explication of the Legality which is so generally to be found and wherein the deceit lies that men who acknowledge themselves sinners and profess themselves Christians may yet set themselves under a Covenant of Works for their Justification They that wil after what I have said deny that there may be or hath been such a thing such persons to be found that did acknowledge themselves sinners and profess themselves Christians and yet sought to be justified by the works of the Law let them quarrel with the Scriptures and with the Apostle Paul if they dare out of whom I have so clearly described them and confute him if they can Again if any one questions that which I have asserted to be the manner how this comes to pass that these persons are justly denominated and reputed Legal self-Justificiaries viz. by the predominancy of their inclination to the Law more then to the Gospel let them shew a more probable way and I shall gladly quit this Now the explication and proof of this matter being the very great thing of all should not pass without some improvement or observation from it which I shall perform by and by in the mean time methinks a sober person might very well desire to be further satisfied in this great business viz. the explication of the nature of a legal-Legal-Spirit I suppose it will be acknowledged that that which gives denomination to a legal-Legal-Spirit is his greater propension to the Law then to the Gospel but yet it may be queried Wherein doth this propension exert and shew it self in what one word or more then one would you express it Now this I confess is the great difficulty hic labor hoc opus est this were worthy of the most excellent Saint and the most learned and accurate Head to discover I can do it onely after my manner that is rawly enough but would God I could provoke some able man to undertake it in the strength of God Very many of those that have medled with it have dealt rudely and yet saucily with this subject I mean the Autinomians They will express the whole
business presently in one word and tell you that it is Doing So far as you seek to get life by doing you are legal they will tell you ye muâ—â— not act for life but from life a mighty distinction with them though quite false And for prooâ—â— they 'l bring you such a Scripture as this Mark 10.17 where the young man came to our Saviour and said What shall I Do that I may inherit Eternaâ— life Which is a question that I suppose might be asked by a good man though he was not good that asked it unless it be asked with such a design as if one thought that the doing good actions might merit heaven by this Divinity of theirs which they have of late spread far and near they have made their followers which I fear are very many think strangely of good works as if they had no influence aâ— all not so much as secondary to the obtaining oâ— our salvaâ—ion and so onely as matters of love and thankfulness from us but not as absolutely necessary unto the pleasing of God and continuing in his favour according to that of our Saviour Joh. 15.9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue in my love How may we do that ver 10. tells us If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Yet I would do the Antanomians this right to say that I think they have very many of them aimed honestly that they have lighted upon many Gospel-strains and have done very well in observing that there is a vast difference betwixt serving God with a Legal and with an Evangelical Spirit though they have not been so happy in telling us wherein the difference lies and for the difference which they make the Legal way to lie in Doing the Evangelical way in Believing I confess it hath a great countenance from Scripture as to the sound of words but as they explain their sense I reckon there is a great disagreement from the Scripture As to their sence of the word Believing I shal have some occasion to examin it anon but as to the word Doing in their sense I say at present That though the Scripture seems to express the whole business of Legality in that word Rom. 4 4. Working or Doing yet certainly in a far other sense from their explication of it For the Scripture in that place understands Working or Doing in a strict Law-sense so as to expect a Reward for it of Debt whereas they will tel you if you look upon Works as having any influence upon Justification let the works be what they wil you are so far Legal Now having proved as I suppose their exposition of Working or Doing to be but a false gloss I shall do my endeavour and no more can be expected to deliver the truth in this matter I suppose therefore according to that Text Rom. 4 4. where Legal Works or working are accurately described that Legality lies in Doing any work with this supposition or conceit in my mind that now I have justly obliged God not only by a Justice of performing promise but a Justice of strict distribution according to the natural desert of an action My meaning is best expressed in that commonly known word of Merit he that doth an action to God supposing that he hath now merited a reward from God by distributive Justice The reason why I make prefumtion of Merit the form of Legality is for that reward of Debt is the Characteristical note of a Legal Reward therefore the expectation or presumtion of such a reward ought to be in a Legal Spirit he is Legal in his action and none other It will bepresently said Then there will not be found so many Legal professors as you assert there are for that few amongst us if any at all acknowledge Merits I answer though they do not acknowledge it with their mouths yet this I suppose is the secret Language of their hearts and where it is not let them be free from the imputation of Legality for me I see no rule to condemn them of it though I wil add this I think many men may disown it in words nay and think they are not guilty of it that yet are extreamly guilty such a a secret unsearchable Disease of heart is this of Legality I have perfectly done with the explication or discovery of the Disease in its own nature I shall come anon to give some symptomes of it that are signs and effects of it in the mean time let us see what improvement what observations we can make upon that Anatomical Discovery which was made of the Galatians e'ne now And here 1 Obser first of all I shall observe the strange and unhappy disappointments that the Legal self-Justitiaries meet with the miserable cheat that they put upon themselves They think to mix Law and Gospel they dare not stand to the Law alone they would fain have a little help from the Gospel to eke out their defects in a Legal Righteousness and alas the Gospel turns them off with scorn to the Law onely to be tried and judged by it which wil certainly condemn and devour them 2dly 2 Obser I observe the strange absurdities and self-contradictions which these self-Justitiaries both Jews and Gentils run into in their prosecution of a Legal Righteousness There are no less then four contradictions which the Galatians ran into in this business 1. They would be justified by the Law and yet acknowledged themselves sinners which is a contradiction for it is obvious that the Law must condemn sinners 2. They would be justified by the Law and yet not be bound to do the whole Law whereâ—s the Law hath no other way imaginable to justifie any persons but when they have the works of the Law when they have done the whole Law He that doth them shall live in them 3. They would be justified by the Law and yet have benefit by Christ and his death whereas Christ â—ras not the Minister of Circumcision Christ came into the world and dyed because the Law was broken and could not justifie 4. See the greatest of contradictions imaginable They would be justifisied by the Law and yet profess the Gospel and the way of Grace therefore the Apostle convinceth them with this Argument If ye seek Justification by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Rom. 11.6 If by Grace then it is no more of works yet all these absurdities and contradictions the Galatians swallowed that they might go on with their way of Works which they were so greedy after and addicted to besides all those evident arguments both general and of more particular concernment to them which they went against though they had received the Spirit by the Gospel though miracles were done amongst them in confirmation of the Gospel neither of which attended the Law though they had done and suffered so many things
for the Gospel yet all of a sudden like men bewitched away they turn to the Law and in effect though not in profession they leave the Gospel From whence again I add new proof as I promised to the first thing proposed in the conviction which is my third observation Therefore certainly mankind is exceedingly addicted to this way of works 3 Obser though not in a-strict way yet in this mixt way which comes all to one at last and must be called by the same Name I say I may justly infer from this one example of the Galatians That mankind is exceedingly addicted unto this way of works For though an argument ab exemplo be not ordinarily cogent yet such an example as this wil of it self almost amount to a demonstration for it is not an example of one man but of a great company of men they were the Churches of Galatia as it is in chap. 1. ver 2. and Galaria was not a Town or a City but a large Countrey that had many Churches up and down in it and these were such as had gladly received the Gospel they had received the Apostle Paul as if he had been an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus they blessed themselves exceedingly in this that they had heard the Gospel from him they received the Spirit by it c. Now notwithstanding all this no sooner do a company of Law-Preachers come that could do no Miracles at all could not convey the Spirit in their Ministry and yet the Galatians are so bewitched and besotted with them through their own natural inclinations to a Legal Righteousness that they fall off to the Law in the sight and view of all those demonstrations and convictions to the contrary and swallow down four several contradictions to boot Ergo hence it evidently appears that men are exceeding apt to run into this way of Justification by Works unless we shall imagine that this inclination in whole Churches of Galatia was some strange kind of special distemper arising from the soyle or some such trifling cause that hinders it from being common to us with them I say I take it for proved and granted from this example which is to me much like an Induction the whole Nation of the Jews the Churches of Galatia that were Gentiles were wholly given to this way therefore this way is mighty natural to mankind and we have all a strong propension and inclination to it but here comes in one considerable objection upon the answering of which the truth of this last Assertion wil be much clearer and that is this You say Object that because the Nation of the Jews and the Gentile Galatians were so much addicted to the way of Justification of Works therefore it is an argument that all mankind is addicted to this way and that we are in danger of running into this way but you do not seem to observe the great snare and stumbling-block that lay in their way to put them upon it and that was the Ceremonial Law which they did not understand as typical of Christ and Gospel-Mysteries but looked upon it as a task of duties which if they did go thorow and do their best to keepe they should undoubtedly please God and be saved Now this Ceremonial Law was given to the Jews and not perfectly out of use when the Galatians were thus led aside by it but was preached up by the devout Jews that were turned to Christianity that if they were not circumcised and kept not the Law of Moses they could not be saved Act. 15.1 Now this the Galatians receiving as true and holding the Gospel with it they did with the Jews too much dote upon Ceremonial Observances and so their Gospel which they professed with it was sowred and spoiled by it but we are not in this danger we know that the Ceremonial Law is down and so we are free from this snare and danger therefore we need not fear lest we run into a Covenant of Works or seek Justification by works This is the objection and you see it is considerable to which I shall endeavour an answer And first of all I answer by way of concession in three particulars Ans 1. 'T is true the Jews had the Ceremonial Law imposed upon them by God and the Galatians by the seduction of false Teachers received it likewise as their duty 2. The Ceremonial Law was apt to prove a snare to all that were under it in leading them into a Covenant of Works For to be set to do a great many things which we understand no meaning almost in how naturally will it teach us to take up with the opus operatum the work done to look no further Which easily mis-leads us into an opinion of Merit especially when we think our selves prettily well to have discharged our selves of the duties of the Moral Law besides 3. Let it be granted that this did actually prove a great snare both to the Jews and Galatians which appears from this that the Apostle when he is rebuking the Galatians for their Legality he instanceth for proofs often in their observing the Ceremonial Law Gal. 4.8 9. I winder saith he that after ye were set free from bondage to Idols by the Gospel of Christ ye should desire again to enter into bondage to ceremonies which there he calls beggarly rudiments and in ver 10 11. saith he Ye observe dayes and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Nay the Apostle instanceth so frequently in the business of the Ceremonial Law that an incurious Reader might think that all thrir fault was but this that they made Conscience of keeping the Ceremonial Law though 't is certain and I have proved it already that this was not the greatest fault they had fallen into for then the Apostle would onely have gone about to convince them that the Ceremonial Law was abolished by the death of Christ or at least that they being Gentiles need not have their Consciences obliged to it which doth not scarce at all appear to have been any part of his design but his main design is to beat them off from a Covenant of works unto which the Ceremonial Law served for an Inlet And indeed this was the nature and genius of their mischievous error they thought as the Jews also did that though they were not so strict as they should be in observing the great weighty duties of the Moral Law yet if they were strict and careful in observing the Ceremonial this would make some amends for their other great defects and herein we see the Ceremonial Law proved a great snare Thus our Saviour chargeth the Jews even whilest it was their duty to keep the ceremonial Law that they placed the observances of the ceremonial Law in the room of their obedience to the moral Law Ye pay tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters
of the Law Judgement Mercy and Faith these ought ye to have done and notto leave the other undone Matth. 23.23 and so in Isa 1. chap. ver 10. And this I think is the judgement of all Divines to have been the error of the Jews and Galatians Now let these three things be granted yet in the 4th place by way of direct answer to the objection Though the Ceremonial Lâ—w were apt to prove a Snare and actually did prove a Snare to the Jews and Galatians yet it was their natural inclination to Legality to a Legal way of treating with God for their Justification and acceptation that betrayed them into this Snare or that made it prove such a Snare to them For else the Ceremonial Law was in its true use and in the design of the Lord when he first gave it a great blessing unto the people of Israel it was a part of that Dispensation which is called their wisdom and their glory in the sight of the Nations Deut. 4.6 I say the Ceremonial Law was not in its own nature unavoidably such a snare as would lead them to a Covenant of Works nor in the design of God who gave it nay it was designed to be to them a sigurative Gospel and therefore though it was somewhat capable of being made use of to such an end to serve the turn and humor of a Legal Spirit yet none but those that were so addicted could have made such a perverse and destructive use of it or if it had been unavoidably I say make the supposition that it had been unavoidably such a dangerous snare to the Jews who had the Ceremonial Law given them from Mount Sinai yet the Gentile Galatians had not such a temptation to receive it with that veneration that the Jews had and having received the Gospel before and stil retaining the profession of it might have been well antidoted against the danger of it and yet they receive it suddenly in this noxious and mischievous use of it And for what reason can we imagine all this to have come to pass but because they were naturally disposed and exceeding apt to catch at any occasion of serving God as it were by the works of the Law or according to a Covenant of Works 5thly I say therefore that though we have not the Ceremonial Law of the Jews to prove a Snare to us yet we have this radicated inclination to a Covenant of Works which betrayed the Jews and Galatians by occasion of the Ceremonial Law into the prosecution of Justification by Works and this I think was formerly evinced from the example of the Jews and Galatians as by an induction 6thly As for the ceremonial Law perhaps it would be granted that if we had such reason to receive it as the Jews had before Christ when it was their duty to observe it or but such a seeming reason as the Galatians after their seduction thought they had perhaps it would be granted that if the case were so with us as it was with either of them that then we should be in great danger to do as they did and to vent that natural Legality or addictedness to the way of works which hath been evinced to be in all men in ceremonial observances Now let but so much be granted and then I have this to offer That though we are free from the ceremonial Law of the Jews know it abrogated by Christ's death yet we may stil have a like danger though not the same nay the Christian Church hath for many hundreds of years I shall not meddle with the present state of things I say the Christian Church hath for many hundreds of years together formerly been under as great a danger from ceremonies as the Jewâ— were in from the ceremonial Law and for proof of this I shal onely quote some passages out of the preface to the Book of Common-Prayer under the title Of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained where you have these besides other expressions Some Ceremonies are put away because the great excess and multitude of them hath so encreased in these later days that the burthen of them was intollerable whereof St. Austine in his time complained that they were grown to such a number that the estate of Christian people was in worse case concerning that matter then were the Jews and he counselled that such yoke and burthen should be taken away as time would serve quietly to do it But what would St. Austine have said if he had seen the Ceremonies of late dayes used amongst us whereunto the multitude used in his time was not to be compared This our excessive multitude of Ceremonies was so great and many of them so dark that they did more confound and darken then declare and set forth Christs benefits unto us There are other considerable passages concerning ceremonies in that Preface but this that I have transcribed serves sufficiently for my purpose and I suppose fully takes off the objection that since the ceremonial Law is down Christians cannot be in the same danger that the Jews Galatians were from ceremonies I have yet one more particular to add by way of answer to the objection and it is this in the seventh place That I verily believe though the Jews had had no such Law given them nor the Gentile-Galatians such a Law preached amongst them by the Jews nor had any such ceremonies ever been set up in the Church of Christ as the quotation speaks of yet both the Jews and Galatians and we all have such an inclination to such an earnest desire after the way of Works that without a strict hand over our selves from giving way to this natural disposition we should be all exceeding apt to find out some way or other of venting this humour either by inventing ceremonies and superisttions or doing the duties of the Moral Law superficially and yet resting upon them for our Justification As for duties or good works that are truly good though they may be abused after their performance by a spiritual pride adhering to them nay though they may perhaps be spoiled sometimes by an opinion of merit yet because I cannot think it possible for a man that doth exercise himself to serve God with a perfect heart to turn all his really-good Works into Legal-Works by an opinion of Merit I shal except this from being a third way in which Legality predominant may exert and shew it self But for the other two ways of invented ceremonies or superstitiuâ—s observances and an external obedience to the duties of the Moral Law I think the nature of man is so addicted to the way of Works that though there were no ceremonial Law amongst us at present either from God or men yet men would generally find out one or both of those ways to vent their Legality even to an opinion of merit in them This I shal shew to have been usually practised in the times of the Scripture and since and
they believe it that if they do such and such things which are not made the condition of pardon by God for going such a pilgrimage for taking such a penance c. they shall have their sins pardoned for so long a time And wherein doth Justification consist so much as in pardon of sin Therefore they seek Justification by Works even by inventions of their own which is worse then by Works commanded Now that which is so gross amongst them may be as truly though more refinedly amongst our selves I have now done with the two first particulars in the Conviction I shall onely now recollect what I have said and proved that so I may borrow some strength for what follows and so proceed Is it so then that all mankind is so exceeding apt to seek Justification by Works And is it such an hidden and unsearchable evil of heart that we cannot easily know it it hath so many self-deceits and runs through so many contradictions Doth it lie in opinion of Merit yet is Merit so generally disowned and yet so many real votaries to it What need then have we to search and try if we are not guilty in this particular and how far we may possibly be guilty For though we have found out the very notion in which it must lie viz. The Opinion of Merit yet this will not serve usually to find it out by for who of us doth not renounce Merits and yet who of us if the foregoing assertions be true is not addicted to Legality I shall come therefore to some other ways of discovery of this evil distemper of heart some marks and signs of it some effects which discover their cause though never so occult and hidden before And this is the third particular in the Conviction which I promised The first was to discover that there are such men as seek Justification by Works The second was to discover wherein their Legality lies And this third to discover by some signs where this Legality is to be found either in a predominancy or in any less degree Now for the discharge of this last part of my Work in the Conviction The third thing in the Conviction viz. the Characters I shall first premise two things and then come to the Characters The first is this That all men in the world are either prophane and Atheistical or else in some way or other Religious as for those that are prophane and atheistical I have nothing to do with them in this Discourse for that they have nothing to do with Justification who make no pursuit after it at all The second observation that I would premise is this That as for the Religious World those that treat with God after any sort for their salvation they are all reducible to one of these two sorts they are either Legal or Evangelical in their service and obedience for there being but two wayes of Justification either in the Scripture or imaginable by us by unerring obedience and meriting or by the way of mercy which accepts an humble sincerity I say there being onely these two ways all that seek Justification must be of one of these two ways and hence I would infer that where-ever we find in Scripture any two ways of serving God that have followers and abettors being two opposite ways whereof one is good and acceptable the other evil and displeasing to God there are these two ways of Legal and Evangelical service and the Characters of the good way may be referred to the head of Evangelical the Characters of the bad unto the head of Legal Worshippers Or if we cannot make a clear reference of every miscarriage in Religion unto legallity yet this I dare affirm and shall prove That the distinction of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers or of such as are fleshly and such as are spiritual in the Worship of God is very ancient nay as ancient as all Antiquity so that throughout all ages in the Scripture and in our own age in undeniable experience there may be traced these two sorts of religious persons and that by Characters that are visibly Legalor Evangelical And whatever be the infinite perty differences of Sects in any age or place yet all men professing Religion may be reduced to these two classes or sorts of Legal and Evangelical Worshippers and these are the great things that are to be minded in them if you find that they are spiritual Worshippers pass by their petty differences if they are fleshly be not deceived by that fair shew which they make in the flesh for the Antiquity and continual suceession of these two sorts of Worshippers and that as they include all sorts of Religious persons see one Scripture then I come to the Characters it is in Gal. 4.29 But as then that is in Abraham's time he of the one side that was born after the flesh the son of the Bond-woman Hagar the Son of a Covenant of Works perseâ—nted him on the other side that was born after the Spirit that is the true Son of the Promise the Evangelical Worshipper so it is now As it was in the beginning so it is and ever wil be to the end of the World two sorts of Worshippers which two sorts all Religious persons may be referred unto If it were proper to enlarge upon this observation I could give more ample proof of it Now for the Characters 1 It is a 〈◊〉 way which â—e joiceth and glorieth in external priviledges and performances The proof that the legal way is an external fleshly way the first shall be this They that are for a Covenant of Works for the Law are much and chiefly for external services this I have partly touched before but I have a very fair occasion to speak to it here again and I dare promise the Reader to free him from the trouble of needless repetition I say those that are under predominant Legality in treating with God for their justification and acceptation they are chiefly for external services in their Worship and expressions of their obedience unto God This the Apostle calls flesh or a fleshly outward way of serving God in Phil. 3.2 3. the Apostle speaks home to this Character I will give you saith the Apostle in the first ver some SAFE advice and counsel what sort and party of men you should avoid and what sort you should close with Ver. 2. Beware of Dogs beware of evil workers beware of that evil sort of Worshippers that are in the sight of God no better then Dogs and not children Now who are they Why the concision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Concision is usually understood the Circumcision or legal Jew that gloryed in his Circumcision here called the Concision by an Ironical Paronomasia alluding to the Factions and Schisms which they made every where Beware of these saith the Apostle and do not receive them nor adher to them for we are the Circumcision that is the true Children of
kept themselves from Legal uncleannesses and from eating every thing that was unclean and placed too much in this whilst it was their duty to observe these things The Colossians erred but in making conscience of the Legal uncleanness of Meats Let no man judge you saith the Apostle in meat or drink that is value no man's judgement let no man abridge you of your liberty in it Now for our selves we are wholly free from Jewish Observations about meats and I think pretty free from any Religious Observations at all about meats and if we are forbid flesh in Lent those that are healthy yet the reason which the Law gives is civil and political for the breed of Cattel but if we should come to have our Consciences ensnared to think that flesh were not as lawful in it self all the Lent-time as at another time this were a symptome of Legality venting it self in superstition But now if we go over amongst the Papists what conscientious observations of Meats are there To eat an Egg in Lent is punished with imprisonment c. that upon a religious account which is a plain argument of legality amongst them very rise I might instance in Priests Vestments as I apprehend an high piece of formality very fit to please the humour of a Legal Spirit that for want of substance pleases it self with shadows shews and outsides but I shall not proceed further to touch at things he that hath an eye to see let him look into the Scriptures and he that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches But we may speak freey of the Papists their Superstitions not onely in doing but in putting themselves upon needless sufferings What Pilgrimages and Processionings what Abstinencies and Penances do they put themselves upon wearing Sackcloath scourging themselves What crossings cringings and sprinklings do they impose upon themselves 't were endless almost but to name the kinds of their inventions Yea some of our own people will say over the Creed and ten Commandments for a prayer and when they come as beggars at your door they will say over the Lords Prayer as if it were a charm to the house from all mischief Now I look upon all Superstitions where they are with any seriousness practised as those things which do exactly sit a Legal Spirit for as I have several times intimated your Legallists cannot endure to come at the Law in the spiritual sense of it so none but a gospel-Gospel-Spirit doth it is Faith alone that establisheth the Law and obeys the Law Now because the Legallist cannot endure to come up to the true spiritual obedience of the Law and yet seeks to be justified by Works he is fain to find out a thousand things to please himself and satisfie his Conscience with whereby he thinks he makes God amends and we have seen in the instances before us how that though men are as wicked as they could be by lying swearing and committing adultry yea and Idolatry too yet they cryed The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord they thought God must love them because they were Jews especially when they brought him rich Sacrifices and burnt rich Incense and kept all their Festivals in the time and manner appointed Now what then their over-valuing the Commands of the Coromonial Law was that is Superstition to us now For not having such a Law left us by God we find out somewhat like it and place the same considences in it that they did in their Law onely ours is so much the worse by not being of Divine institution I have now only one particular more belonging to this Character of external fleshly service and that is an external partial conformity to the moral Law which is indeed the last and strongest fort of a Legal-spirit As for these external Priviledges or Ceremonies and Superstitious Performances which I have insisted upon they are a slighty thin covering if we come once to try it and rationally to examine it and though people wrap themselves in it yet they cannot bear out any rough argument from galling or pinching through it External conformity to the duties of the Moral Law What defence is it for an Harlot to say This day have I paid my vows to one that can convince her of being a common Whore Prov. 7.14 But now if men have lived in some conformity to the duties of the Moral Law as the young man in the Gospel had done All these have I kept from my youth saith he speaking of the commandments Believe it our Saviour himself shall not by an ordinary word perswade him that he lacketh any thing more Let us see the beld audacious Pharisee in the Parable that goes into the Temple to pray how doth he challenge his acceptance with God and upon what terms We have it in Luke 18.11 God I thank saith he that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tythes of all that I possess Really the man might well have thanked God as he did had it not been for two things 1. His making comparisons 2 His valuing those things which he mentions as a sufficient Righteousness It was good not to be an Extortioner Unjust an Adulterer it was good to fast and to give tythes of all and he might well bless God that he was enabled to do these things but this was but a partial holiness for all the Commands are not reckoned up here then perhaps it was but an external obedience to these commands that are referred to he was no actual Adulterer but might he not commit heart-Adultery He was no Extortioner or unjust person as he saith But if it were true at all it may be it was onely thus That he was not so in the highest degree perhaps what others accounted injustice and extortion he did not But I need not go upon a Perhaps I will lead the Reader to a certain place of Scripture where the Legallist prides himself and challenges acceptance from God onely upon a partial and external obedience unto some duties of the first Table it is Isa 58.2 3. In the 2d ver we have an high commendation as one would think of them They seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did righteousness and forsook not the Ordinances of their God they ask of me the Ordinances o◠of Justice they take delight in approaching to God These are great matters and upon these the Jews grew high and argue the case with God for his acceptance they wonder when they are so good that God should make so little reckoning so small account of them ver 3. Wherefore have 〈◊〉 fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have 〈◊〉 afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge The Lord answers them in the same verse Behold in the day of your fast ye find pleasure and exact all your
come it will not tarry This was the very case with the wicked King last instanced out of 2 King 6.33 if the Visiontarry wait for it But now it follows ver 4. If you will not wait if your soul be lifted up in you with pride and impatience why this soul that is lifted up is not upright in him this Spirit is quite contrary to the Spirit of a just and justified man But the just shall live by Faith that is will be patient in such straits this is the great famous place which the Apostle Pau. makes use of to prove Justification by Faith in three several Epistles Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10 38. Ergo Impatience weariness of the service of God is a great argument and symptom of a Legal Spirit in the service of God the thing that we have now under demonstration Now to apply this Character So far as thou findest thy self sloathful sluggish in the service of God ready to draw back and to be weary of well-doing contentious against God with Job angry as Jeremy and Jonah were in their sits of distemper So far Legality is discovered to be the principle of serving God For the Spirit of the Gospel is humble chearful I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him saith the Church in Micah ch 7 9. If God defers to hear and answer prayers yea gives denials yet the true Saints of God think it their duty to wait patiently on the Lord and to find out the cause of these denials in themselves Christ calls the woman of Canaan Dog Truth Lord saith she yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs And this is commended for an high piece of faith Mar. 7.28 I join these Scriptures of Old and New-Testament together and use them promiscuously for proof of the same thing because it is plain there were spiritual Worshippers under the Old-Testament as wel as there are Legal-Worshippers in the new Now in a consonancy to and connexion with this latter part of this last Character viz. the irksomness heaviness and weary somness that there is often found in a Legal Spirit as to the service of God I might make this a third Character That a Legal Spirit is weak and feeble and devoid of all strength in the service of God But I shall make this rather an Observation then a Character of a Legal Spirit yet I shall insist some what upon it I say then The Legal spirit is without strength in the service of God That the Legal-Worshipper is faint-hearted weak in the service of God like Ephraim in Hos 7.11 as a silly Dove without heart and it may very well be for the joy of the Lord alone is our strength Neh. 8.10 Which joy the Legallist never partakes of having never any true sence of divine acceptance And indeed what strength can the Law give us that is now through our fall become a poor weak feeble thing it self What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh c. Rom. 8.3 The Law became weak through our sinful flesh so that it can neither justifie nor sanctifie and it gives no quickness at all in the service of God it gives quickness to the body of death indeed and to the motions of sin in our members as it is Rom. 7. â— but none at all to serve God with The A postle therefore appeals to the Galatians experience that they never received the Spirit by all the preaching of the Law which they had amongst them Gal 3 2. And this was the very reason of God's nâ—aâ—ing a new Covenant of his removing his old Dispensat on by Moses which was so full of Law and so like a Covenant of Works Heb 7.8 19. For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof for the Law made nothing perfect Thus the Law being weak the Legallist must needs be a weak imperfect thing in the service of God But now it is said They that wait on the Lord by Faith shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wirgs like Eagle they Well run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 He that believeth on me saith our Saviour out of his belly shall flow kavers of living water this spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive John 7.38 39. The Gospel of Christ is and in its preportion ever was so far as at any time it was understood and embraced in the times of the Old Testament the Ministration of the Spirit In Col. 1.11 the Apostle prays for his Colossians that they may be strengthened with All might according to his glorious power in the Gospel there is ALL Mâ—GHT and a gâ—orious Power to strengthen and quicken the Saints with no wonder therefore if this quicken and encourage them mightily in the service of God beyond what ever the Law can do for its dependants and admirers I might here take fair occasion to discover what infinite quickning considerations and motiveâ— the Gospel carries in it unto the spiritual service of God beyond what the Law could afford But seeing I do not so much as make this a Character I shall not take the liberty to enlarge further upon it I shall onely now acquaint the Reader why I do not make this a Character and then pass on And truly one great reason is for the sakes of some good people I may say very many that we have amongst us who if we should make this a Character of a legal spirit that it is weak sluggish heartless in the service of God that it is not lively active and vigorous they would presently apply it to themselves and cry out that they are legal for that they find themselves that they are just thus whereas yet it is true that every true Saint the meanest Saint in the World hath more life and vigor of heart in his serving God then the devoutest and strictest legallist in the World And what if I should say in comparing the two Dispensations of the Old and New-Testament that there is never a Gospel-Saint since the day that the Spirit came down upon the Apostles but hath more life and spirit or it is hâ—s fault if he have not then the highest true Saint under the Old-Testament Would not that Scripture bear me out in it which says that John the Baptist was the greatest that ever was born of a woman before him and yet that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven which is often interpreted of the Gospel-state of the Church is greater then he Matth. 11.11 And would not that other Scripture countenance it which saith The feeble shall be as David Zech. 10.8 And accordingly I might affirm that if these complaining Saints had but the true courage of Saints and the true Character of themselves and at the same time the Character of the highest legallists yea of the most
spiritual Saints under the Old-Testament they might truly conclude that their Religion was of an higher strain then either that of the one or of the other * If any will make any abate ment of this observation in the height of it as that the advancement of the least Salnt in the kingdom of Heaven above Iohn the Baptist should be meant of Gospelpriviledges let them do as they see cause and so this observation might wel serve for a Character to them Yet because the Saints of God do not always understand nor are able to make a judgement of their condition and for that I aim onely at such Characters as may be useful to persons for trial of themselves I shal at present let this pass without pressing it any further onely I could wish these multitudes of grovelling creeping complaining Saints were wel chid and awakened for they make Ministers that they cannot preach free Divinity lest they should perhaps grieve them And I verily believe that it hath spoiled many a good Sermon that would have been far more lively both for the conviction of wicked men and the quickening of other good Christians that could have born it and done wel with it meerly the stuffing it with cautions and qualifying many brave expressions lest some of these weak tender Christians should be offended which tenderness in most is rather a delicacy of spirit then the quick sence of a wounded Spirit which indeed must be tenderly dealt with Good men many of them have gotten such effeminate Antinomian Consciences that they cannot bear sound Doctrine many Gospel strains are legal in their apprehension But I must forbear this â—â—nguage lest I have little thanks for not making this a Character I shal onely say before I pass off that methinks when we serve the great God upon terms of Mercy and Grace when he offers us pardon of our sins and the salvation of our souls freely we should be mighty chearful and quick and diligent when we consider our high calling to be the children of God heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ it should mightily quicken and enoble our Spirits Seemeth it a light thing saith David to be a Kings son-in-Son-in-Law seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 And certainly it argues a great want of faith hope not to be very much quickned with these considerations but pass on And as I have now avoided making this a Character which I might have made one so I shal endeavour to un-make another that hath been made one by some or at least to unmake it in part They would make this another Character of a legal Spirit A salfe Character of a Legal Spirit That it is selfish and mercenary in the service of God onely works for wages and for the reward but doth nothing out of pure love nobleness and ingenuity I have heard it delivered in a great Assembly as a great observation That self-love hath no more Religion in it than an Horse That is as I understand it so far as a man acts towards God for any good that should accrue to himself so far his Religion is unacceptable Now for the word ONELY I confess I know not what to say to that how that should be a good Spirit that worships and serves God ONELY for the reward But I suppose they that speak undervaluingly of this Principle do mean or at least should mean by the tendency of their Discourses that it is a legal Principle to serve God in hope of the reward or for the reward and that so far as we serve God from this Principle we are legal or at least we miscarry in so doing And indeed to shew that I do not slander a party I have heard several Discourses wherein this hath been hotly argued that it is not a right or at least not a Gospel-Principle to serve God for fear of Hed which is to me all one as to serve him in hope of a reward for to avoid Hell is a negative reward as the enjoying Heaven is a positive Now for my part I think whatever we may account of self-love when it is the onely principle yet that it is a very good principle in other honest company and withall I think that there is no Saint upon earth that doth act towards God meerly upon the principle of self-love which I shall shew by and by But I will say more yet and that is this That I think self-love or acting for the reward and to labour in hope as the Husbandman doth who not onely laboureth in hope but for his hope or for that which he expecteth else he would not have taken that labour I say to act for the reward or in hope of the reward and so likewise that we may avoid Hell needs not so far the association of other Principles to countenance and credit it as if it were not it self a right Gospel-Principle for I think to be encouraged by the reward which the Gospel promiseth on purpose that so we might be encouraged argues a true Gospel-spirit answering the Gospel-motive and so that outward motive from the Word or Promise becomes an inward Principle It were endless to quote the Scriptures that encourage us in holiness by the consideration of glory to come Be thou faithful to the death and I will give thee the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 One more That which ye have already hold fast till I come and he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron even as I received of my Father and I will give him the Morning-Star Rev. 2 25 26 27 28 So it is likewise a Gospel-principle to serve God that we may avoid Hell We have both together to get Heaven and avoid Hell made Gospel-motives Heb. 12.28 29 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire And it is the advice of our Saviour Luk. 12.5 To fear God who can cast body and soul into Hell and for that reason I say unto you my friends fear him they are our Saviours Words Luke 12 4 5. Now with whatever fair shews and pretences men may impose these Doctrines upon themselves or others that they must not serve God for fear of Hell nor hope of Heaven I look upon Satan to be the Forger of these devices for if he can get us once out of the fear of Hell and out of the hopes of Heaven hee 'l make no doubt to bring us into what temptations soever he shall intice us with And I would fain know what the other principles are when these are removed upon which we should be constrained or engaged to serve God There is indeed one more lest very considerable but these men that dislike the hope of reward and fear of punishment
will not like this neither and it is because it is the duty of the Creature to serve its Creator whether he promiseth any reward or no. Now this will not look neither like a Gospel-principle being the very Law of Creation Well then what principles will they suggest for Gospel-principles Why such as these Love and Ingenuity and Gratitude and apprehending an excellency in the wayes of God Now I confess these are good principles and these are right Gospel-principles the fruit of the Spirit is love And we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 which is gratitude Shall we continue in sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace and that so Grace may abound God forbid This were highly disingenuons Rom. 6.1.15 And in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.11 There is a sight of the excellency of the precept But pray observe that where nobleness and ingenuity is the onely Principle of Actions there is no necessity for any thing to be done at all for actions of nobleness and ingenuity and gratitude come under no Law but are left free to the Agent to do or not to do only that hereby as he doth them or not the Agent will discover whether he be of an unworthy Spirit or no. And thus these men have brought things to a fair pass that God is to be served under the Gospel onely upon courtesie so that any that will may slip their neck out of Christs yoke and their back from under his burthen or else they must acknowledge that men ought to serve God because there is a MUST upon it 't is our duty as Creatures if we will not there is an Hell to punish but to encourage you in it if you will there is an Heaven to reward And what if a Legal Spirit go to work with these principles ONELY as indeed I think he hath no other and that he may have all these in a degree viz. the sense of his Obligation as a Creature the fear of Hell and some general hope of Heaven I say What if he may have all these principles are they evertheless good or unsuitable to the Gospel because he useth them If he used them to good ends or used them aright they would do him good as well as they do others good the reason why these do him no good is for that in the use of the same principles in the general which a good man may use A Legallist hath always these three gross defects that undo him Three ruining defects in the service of a Legallist First though the hope of Heaven in general as a place of happiness may somewhat quicken him in what he doth yet he hath no true notion or apprehension of Heaven that the happiness of it consists chiefly in likeness to God in holiness which if it were his notion of Heaven he could not find in his heart to desire it much less to endeavour after it The second gross defect is this All the endeavours that he makes to please God in one thing or in another as I have instanced in several wayes never reach to a thorough heart-work whereas that is the chief thing that God looks after because he is a Spirit the Father of Spirits And the lastthing is this That yet for all this slightiness hypocrifie of a Legal Spirit the very rule that he proceeds by in his expectations of his Reward is That God is bound to give it him as having well deserved it at his hands Now what though a Legallist may make use of the same principles that an Evangelical Spirit doth unsuccessfully yet what should hinder but the Evangelical Worshipper may use the same principles rightly and with acceptation from God May not a good thing be abused or not rightly used And doth this destroy the nature of it Let us now a little examine the word Mercenary because indeed it sounds harshly as if it were a low principle for a Christran to act towards God by and then we will see briefly what other Principles there are in conjunction with it in every true Saint of God The word Mercenary founds so ill meerly from the common usage of it not so much from the Etymology or native signification the Natural signification of it is when any one acts for wages or for a reward the use of it is when a man that is engaged to do courtifies or at least stands not in any need to receive courtesies will yet do no good turns for any without a good reward in his hand or well assured to him nay perhaps will do any mischief if he may be well rewarded so that Mercenariness is a Vice alwaies contrary to Nobleness that is more free to do than receive courtesies and often contrary to justice but now this Mercenariness especially as contrary to nobleness is a Vice onely or chiefly amongst equals and those that stand not in need of one another as for those that are far inferiour it is pride with them to be unwilling to receive courresies or rewards for wherefore are any advanced in place but that they may do good to those that are below them 'T is no dishonour at all for a poor man that wants bread to hire our his labour for a reward nor for a child that is bound to do what his facher commands to be encouraged by any reward that his father proposeth to any action Now let us apply these things to the bufiness before us and we shall see how ill or how well Mercenariness becomes us in our service of God First of all we are not here to consider the Saints as doing evill things for a reward that is the worst Mercenariness of all no but they serve God for a reward Now wherein can the sordidness of this Spirit lye is it that we need not to receive courtesies at the hands of God or that we cannot endure to receive a courtesie which we know we are not able to requite Such a struin of nobleness there is sometimes found amongst men out if we should aim at such a strain of nobleness with God How will such men ever offer to receive heaven especially when they did not work for it which makes it far more obliging Truely in my minde it is very high pride for a poor creature that is poor and blind and naked and in want of all things that when God offers to supply his poverty to cure his blindness to cover his nakedness he shall not be exceedingly over-joyed at it and seeing that these supplies are of this nature that they cannot be compleatly obtained till we come to heaven nor yet certainly obtained except we persevere whilest we are here to labour after them it seems a strange wantonness to me that men should not labor and own it that they do labour for them as the command is No fault in labouring for the reward except it be for the reward of a debt Labour for
spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which I shall make bold to Paraphrase thus Ye have not now under the Gospel received the spirit of Bondage again as ye did under the Law for some of these Romans to whom he writes were Jews but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby both you and I for the person is changed and all Gospel-Saints cry Abba Father The Law SO FAR as it did reign over the spirits of good people in the days of the Old-Testament brought them under a spirit of Bondage SO FAR and therefore the veâ— same Saints that now were under a Spirit of Adoption by the Gospel yet had been under â— spirit of Bondage in the times of the Law in a great measure unless we will make the person YEE to signifie specifically not numericall that is of Saints like them of the same Nation in times past and not of those very Saints iâ— person to whom he writes but which way sâ—â—ver understood it asserts that the Saints of Goâ— in the times of the Old Testament were in 〈◊〉 great measureunder a spirit of bondage through the darkness of the Dispensation which argues that for those that were under the Law wholly they were certainly under a severe Bondage from the Law and so that this may very well be made a Character of a Legal spirit I am not ignorant that there is another interpretation given of this Scripture by some yet very agreeable with this that I here give viz. That in every work of conversion there is a legal conviction which they call a Spirit of Bondage which goes before faith and that after a man hath truely believed he never receives or returns to a spirit of Bondage again But I think this is not the genuine interpretation onely it may be allowed for true in a great measure and I might borrow strength from it for my present purpose for that this spirit of Bondage in this interpretation is the effect or the work of the Law only but of this the Reader may see more in the 41. page of the foregoing discourse I come now to shew what a spirit of Bondage is now this discovers it self in the very name Bondage or Slavery as also by its opposition to a spirit of Adoption or Son-ship they that are under it serve not God as children serve a father but as slaves serve a cruel master again it is notified to us by the inseparable companion of this spirit and that is fear Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that which is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the 2 Tim. 1.7 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of fear God hath not given to us saith the Apostle that is under the Gospel a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound minde A Gospel spirit is a spirit of love a Legal spirit is a spirit of fear I shall give onely one Scripture more for this that is 1 John 4.17 18 19. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgement because as he is saith the Apostle so are we in this world There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that seareth is not made perfect in love We love him because he first loved us Here I collect and argue We that is We Saints converted by the Gospel have all of us a principle of Love which is quite contrary to that of fear We shall have boldness in the day of Judgement and this we have some fore-tasts of in this world for that spirit which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Bondage to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Love and Son-ship or Adoption which hath an holy boldness in it Hebr. 4.16 and teacheth us to call God Father But on the contrary the Legal spirit hath no such boldness in the presence of God but is alwaies silled with a tormenting fear and horrour at the thoughts of God even as the Devils are in a great degree who believe and tremble and as Cain was who when he could have no rest in his spirit went forth from the presence of the Lord which he could not endure and fell to building a city in probability to drown the noise of his Conscience which else would still have rung in his ears and allarm'd him with this dreadful sentence My punishment is greater than I can beâ—â— or my sin is greater than can be forgiven Perfect love casteth out fear then such as is the proportion aâ—â— degree of Love to God to such proportion and degree 〈◊〉 the tormenting fear of God abated Yet here I must needs acquaint the Reader that there is another exposition of this Text which I think is very allowable if not more genuine than the former that is that perfect love to God casteth out all anxious and solicitous fear of suffering and persecution for God's Cause I shall transcribe somwhat of Dr. Hammond upon the place ver 17. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement because as he is so are we in this world which he first thus translates In this the love with us is perfected that we have boldness and then paraphraseth thus In this the perfection of that love which is to be found in a Christian consists that in a time of danger when we are brought before Judges and may probably lose our lives for confessing of Christ then we retain courage and cheerfulness and confess him willingly that we behave our selves in this world as Christ did when he was here that is lay down our lives in testification of the truth ver 18. there is no fear in love that is saith he such love as this which was in Christ hath no fear in it Christ ventured and under-went the utmost even death it self for us I need transcribe no more But yet I think I may argue strongly even from this Exposition that which I aim at viz. that a Gospel-spirit is free from slavish fear of God at least in a great measure for still the love spoken of in this text it is love to God this love to God is a great Gospel-principle as appears in the text Now can any bear a great love to any person and yet have a slavish fear a tormenting fear of that person at the same time For my part I think love and fear with respect to the same person are very near as opposite as love and hatred and a tormenting slavish fear of any person cannot long be without a great degree of hatred Is it not a famous question in the Politiques concerning the security of a Prince An praestat timeri quam diligi Whether it be more safe for a Prince to be loved or feared of his Subjects
sons a spirit of adoption Having made the spirit of bondage a Character and given you the distinctions upon it I shal briefly shew the inseparable connexion that there is between a legal spirit and it and the very reason how it comes to pass The inseperable connexion between a spirit of bondage and a legal spirit And indeed it must needs be that a legal spirit should be attended with fear and terror for his very way of serving God leads him into it He goes to serve God and to procure acceptance with him by the Works of the Law now the Law as I have shew nis of that nature that it cannot justifie but where there is perfect unerring obedience and therefore to all that seek justification by it and are not surnished with this obedience it can onely prove a Ministration of death terror and desperation So that let the Legallist fancy what he pleaseth at first when he enters upon his way as perhaps he may think to please God and satisfie his own Conscience with offering up some external services either ceremonious or moral and never pretend to keep the whole law and so not to seek justification in the true and proper way that the Law is to justifie yet he shall find himself first reputed and reckoned amongst those that seek Justification by the Law as the Galatians were who yet did not pretend to the proper righteousness of the Law and then he shall find in the next place that because of the imperfection of his obedience the Law is too weak to justifie him and yet it will still shew him his duty and press him to the doing of it and it will discover his defects and sins and the wrath due for them but to allow strength for the fulfilling it self or to procure pardon for any breach of it this it cannot do and so all the effects of the Law upon the Legallist can be only to lash sting and vex him which must needs sill his soul with horror and dread of that God whom hee serves Now I shall not undertake to shew on the contrary how the very nature of the gospel-way must needs produce peace and an holy boldness and confidence in the sight of God though I might shew that out of the very way it self these things would seem to spring or at least that it is very agreeable and suitable to the gospel-way of treating God that it should be accompanied with peace joy and holy boldness in the presence of God for if the great and holy God wil admit any sinful creatures whilst they remain in part sinful into fellowship and holy boldness with himself who can they be other then those that renounce all love to sin abhor themselves by reason of sin and cast themselves for pardon and salvation purely upon his mercy and grace All which I have shewn to be essential to the Evangelical or gospel-way the way of faith and grace which I am contending for Besides we know the gospel way of serving God receives a denomination from faith it is called the way of Faith They that are OF FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 Now if this way hath so much of faith in it which we know hath affiance in its notion that Faith should deserve to give name to this way as it doth then certainly this way cannot want an holy boldness and confidence in it But instead of insisting upon this way of proof from the very nature and constitution of the Gospel I shall content my self with a few more Scripture-proofs besides what I first mentioned in the entrance of this Character to shew that peace joy and holy boldness in the presence of God are great effects of a Gospel-way of serving God Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the SPIRIT is love joy peace c. By the spirit is meant either the gospel or the holy ghost which is conveighed by it or that better part which is within us called so in opposition to the Flesh or if you will all three and then the sense is this The Spiritual or New-nature within us brought forth by the Holy Ghost in the preaching of the Gospel hath such fruits as these Love Joy Peace c. So Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God that is the Gospel where it comes in power is not meat and drink that is it consists not of these chiefly if at all but it is righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost these are the great designs and effects of the Gospel And we know that the Gospel is the great ministration of the Spirit who is given in the Gospel as a Comforter as an earnest of the inheritance as an Advocate within us teaching us to cry Abba Father It were endless to give all the places which make for the proof of this proposition that the Gospel hath great joys and comforts attending it and that the opposite way to it of serving God which is by the Law can have no such thing If it should be here objected that it 's strange Obj. if the Gospel-way be so full of comfort and boly boldness in the presence of God so attended with the Spirit of Adoption as you have declared that there should be so many sad drooping desponding Saints as there are that though they live holily and we cannot but think they are good men yet are not acquainted with any of those comforts durst not call God Father are full of fears and doubts touching the favour of God towards them c. I confess that this is a considerable objection Ans But I must answer it much after the same manner as I discoursed upon that which I might have made the third character viz. that a Gospel-Spirit was vigorous quick and lively in the service of God that a Legal-spirit was weak sluggish and unactive For I meet with the same kind of Christians in this Objection that then I met with who durst not be tried by that character First of all therefore I acknowledge there are many sad souls whom I cannot but think to be godly and true Gospel-saints and so much I acknowledged in giving the second distinction 〈◊〉 this character But Secondly I dare say the Gospel hath comforts for them if they could but receive them which yet the Law hath not in it for the Legallists no the Law is full charged with wrath against them and did they but fully understand what infinite treasures of wrath the Law contains in it self for them there is never a Legallist in the world but would be fuller of horror and desperation than were Cain or Judas Thirdly Setting aside what may be of extraordinary dispensation in the troubles of some Saints I think it 's generally their own fault that they have no more comfort and considence than they have God would have us rejoice Rejoice is the Lord alwaies and again I say rejoice Phil. 4.4 Rejoice evermore 1 Thes 5.16 The Gospel would have us rejoice
that they must not touch taste or handle Col. 2.22 The Laity amongst the Papists must not taste the Wine it is too good for them nor touch the Wafer which is superstitiously invented instead of Bread with their unhallowed hands but receive it into their mouths from the hand of the Priest and that upon their knees yea when the Host is carryed in the streets they must fall down upon their knees Thus I have dispatched this observation about superstitious mens shiness of God in his Worship that they have not that holy boldness they ought to have but a spirit of bondage and of slaves in the presence of God Superstitious men under any of the three notions of Superstition are under a spirit of bondage in the service of God I come now to the application of the Character And in this I shall proceed as I have done in other Characters first indeavouring hence to discover Predominant The application of the Character then Partial Legality or the mixtures of Legality in the Saints Now for Predominant Legality as the notions of Superstition have been severally given and explained Superstition alone may serve to discover where this great evil is As Mr. Smith gives the notion of Superstition it seems to me to be no other then the spirit of Bondage it self and I dare say if thou art superstitious in his sense thou art under a spirit of bondage Predominantly and so under Legality Predominant If thou lookest upon God as a Tyrant and yet servest him and that as such what higher description can there be of a spirit of Bondage Hither I might refer all the too-severe penances which the Papists inflict upon themselves in watching fastings and scourging of themselves as if the merciful God were taken with such crueties instead of true worship and devotion But because I have often touched upon these things already I shall forbear though this be the most proper head of this matter Neither yet am I an enemy to prudent penances if I may so call them that is means and trials of one's mortification and repentance so they be wisely directed to an end as for the Intemperate to fast to afflict his soul and body before God for those that are apt to be proud in apparel to deny themselves sometimes the ordinaryliberties of apparel and perhaps to wear very mean cloaths that they may break themselves of their proud humour I make no doubt if Saint Paul should give us the instances of his mortification when he kept under his body that is his whole self though it may be his body in especial manner and brought it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ— Hâ—râ—moad I give my self black and blew eyes with beating my self and make my self a servant I say if he should tel us what courses he took in his mortification what liberties he denyed himself what tasks he might possibly impose upon himself I doubt it would make most of us condemn our selves severely for dastardly and effeminate Christians but yet stil I doubt not but his abstinencies and impositions were rational wisely directed to an end viz. to subdue or keep under some passion or the like end he did not sure satisfie himself or reckon that God was pleased with his sufferings further then as they were a reasonable service So again for the second notion of Superstition thou Idolater thou Papist that canst not come to the great God without a false Mediator through a fear and shiness I have no comfort for thee onely that I know not how merciful God may be to an erronious Conscience whenas the persons otherwise setting aside their error are sincere and cordial in their obedience and hold the Head that is Christ as the Apostles phrase is 2 Col. 19. Again for them that are superstitious in the last and lowest though I should think properest notion of the Word and are grosly so I take it as a very shrewd sign of a Spirit of Bondage and Legality predominant not onely for this reason that they plainly discover themselves to be very ignorant of the Gospel by which all the Ceremonial Law was at once laid aside and no other substituted by the Apostles nor as I should think left to be invented by their corrupter successors but for that other reason which I mentioned for that such men that are so much for invented Ceremonies which I reckon superstitious are not onely de facto strangers to a Spirit of Prayer which is all one with the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 but must needs set upon the inventing or embraciag these superstitions for that they think certainly the great God observes as much the little circumstances which are not indeed to be despised as the substance of every action and that if you are not mighty exact in every punctilio the Lord will not accept the most sincere devotion and hence they came to serve out every action with so much pomp and ceremony as must needs hinder the performance of some other necessary duties besides that the inventions are many times sinful in themselves Or else there must be another reason of these superstitious inventions which Mr. Smith suggests and thereby methinks brings down his high notion of Superstition somewhat towards this last that we have given his words are That superstitious men think though God is apt to be angry yet that he is easily to be appeased again by some FLATTERING DEVOTIONS especially if performed with sanctimonious shews and a solemn sadness of mind and therefore saith he Superstition will alwayes abound in these things whereby this Deity of their own made after the similitude of men may be most gratified slasishly crouching to it And then quotes Plutarch taxing the Jews with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their wallowings in the dust tumblings in the mire prosternations uncouth gestures and strange rites of worship the very things which we call Superstition bowing to the high Altar c. And again he tells us That this root of Superstition diversly brancheth forth it self sometimes into poedantical rites and idle observations of things and times What is it that the lave ages have called Superstition but this which here Mr. Smith acknowledgeth to be the effects or branches of Superstition But to let pass this criterion of Superstition as to the word but yet retaining the thing intended by it which is an over-timorous fear of God we may find out predominant Legality by this that follows Art thou engaged in the service of God ONELY through the fear of Hell What saist thou to that Scripture The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness harh surprized the hypocrites Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwel with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Not as if this principle were in it self unlawful no it is a Gospel-principle and the Apostle Paul himself as I have shewed makes use of it when he sayes I beat down
my body lest after I have preached the Gospel to others I myself should be a cast-away But the Apostle Paul had other principles in conjunction with it The love of Christ constraineth us saith he 2 Cor. 5.14 I shewed before that fear of Hell acting for the reward or from a principle of natural conscience these are not Legal principles in themselves and in their own nature so that he that acts by them should be far judged to be Legal but onely they are such as may want the company of other principles not to make themselves pass for Evangelical but to make the person that acts by them enough Evangelical they are a lower sort of good principles which let them have as great influence as they will can do no hurt onely there must be somewhat more ask shewed above and indeed here is the proper place to shew the necessity of some further principle and I accordingly promised in that particular to shew it in this Now I suppose this is is the great reason why there is need of a further principle besides those three for that a man may act by all those three principles and yet be under a Spirit of Bondage Now there must be some principle to free the soul from this bondage or else the soul can never serve God acceptably This Principle must be Love Perfect love casteth out fear first all slavish fear of God then the fear of men he that feareth is not made perfect in love Look to what degree the love of God is in the soul to such degree is the slavish fear of God and the cowardly fear of men abated But yet take two cautions in examining thy self by this Character as to predominant Legality 1. Be not too rash in concluding thou hast no love to God 2. If thou thinkest thou hast reason to conclude that hitherto thou hast no other principle of action towards God but those three which do not necessarily exclude a spirit of Bondage yet be not discouraged as to the future thou mayest have a further principle thou art in the fairest way towards it that any other is A spirit of Bondage is far better than a prophane spirit Many Divines hold and I think rightly that the Lord in the work of Conversion doth usually lead men through a spirit of bondage into a spirit of adoption though thou shouldst be at present as to thy state under the Law yet the Law is a School-Master unto Christ And Mr. Smith in that so often quoted Discourse of Superstition tells us after having quoted that very place in Isa 33. The sinners in Zion are afraid who shall dwell with the devouring fire as an argument of men under the power of Superstition though I should not dislike saith he these dreadful and astonishing thoughts of future torment which I doubt GOOD MEN may have cause to press home upon their own spirits whilst they find INGENUITY less active Thou seest there may be good use of such principles even in good men therefore they are not bad in thee But I come to the discovery of partial Legaity or the mixtures of Legality which may be found in the service and spirits of good men from this Character And this is indeed the Character by which the Legality of good men is usually discovered There are many Saints as I have intimated already several times who though they walk very exactly are not conscious to themselves of living in any known sin nay it is known by all that know them intimately that they are very strict in their lives yet these are still in doubts and fears touching their condition they are sorely affraid that the Lord is angry and displeased with them though they have no reason from the Scriptures or from the judgment of other Christians and Ministers nor from any revelation within them but onely through Satans temptations Now these men cannot gather their fears from any other occasion or reason then from their unreasonable conceptions their over-timorous and dreadful apprehensions of God They have some secret fears and doubts of his goodness that he will never be pleased though they make their way never so perfect before him though they humble themselves though they acknowledge their vileness in never so great debasements and abhorrencies of themselves The truth is they are secretly afraid and it must be so or else their jealousies must be without so much as the least shew of reason that they shall never please God unless they keep the Law to a tittle and what is Legality if this be not that is they think so at some times and this occasions their fears and doubts not that they think so always for if they should think so alwayes they were perfect Legallists Or else if they do not think so high as this that they must keep the whole law yet they think at least that they must do some very great thing which is beyond their strength And so accordingly for instance they think they must do so many duties in a day let what business come that can come and they must do it so well be they in never so ill a temper or frame of heart not as if our ill temper excuseth the ill performance of an action where that distemper is brought upon us by ourselves and that they perhaps must do as much when they are sick as when they are well that though they be weak in grace or weak in parts that yet they must do as much as those that are strong in both All this now together with the fears and troubles that attend these thoughts I call Legality and it proceeds from a false and over-timorous apprehension of the Deity And they are not enough sensible that the condition of man is altered from perfect to imperfect nor that the terms betwixt the great God and his creature Man are altered from Legal to Evangelical And I say once for all he that thinks God requires any thing of the Creature above its strength nay beyond what the creature can through the grace of God well and comfortably perform is a Legallist and under the spirit of bondage so far That is certainly a general Gospel-maxime though made use of upon a particular occasion of contribution to the necessity of the Saints which we have 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not And nothing is plainer in the Scripture then this That the Lord will proceed in his taking account of us according to the proportion of Talents that he put into our hands As many as have sinned without Law shal also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shal be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 The Lord wil not expect more then four talents from him to whom he gave but two nor more then two from him to whom he gave but one Matth. 25. ver 14 15 20 21 22.
and from the same person sick he expects not the same that he doth from him when he is in health nor from a married man the same as to acts of devotion that he doth from the unmarried Person 1 Cor. 7.32.33 Now this I dare not let pass without these cautions 1. That I have delivered this onely for the comfort of those that are apt to accuse and censure themselves unreasonably not for any loose-principled people who are ready to say They do all they can and God is merciful 2. That this Doctrine that God proceeds according to the proportions of talents entrusted with us is not more comfortable to some than terrible to others You that have great parts and great opportunities cannot be saved with the same improvements that others may if he that had five talents had brought in but six or seven to his Master he could no more have entred into the joy of his Lord then he that laid up his one talent in a Napkin Matt. 25.20 21. Or at least he should enter difficultly and with great loss 1 Cor. 3.15 Now as there may be these unreasonable fears and doubts about their ESTATE in the hearts of the Saints which is so much of a spirit of bondage for that all unreasonable fears of God are the effects and univocal proper productions of a spirit of bondage I say as there may be these fears as to their state and condition so there may be as to PARTICULAR ACTIONS an absurd fear that we may not do them and a guilt after we have done them when indeed they were lawful to be done which usually argues a spirit of bondage and so a legal spirit in these actions Yet I will acknowledge that to do actions though lawful with a doubting mind makes them sins and may justly affect us with a guiltiness But many times one does an action freely and without doubting and afterwards with a scrupulosity reflects upon the action and then hath a fear and a guilt Now I say if this action upon which we reflect thus was a lawful action then is our guilt and fear which we have impressed upon us an argument of Legality or a Spirit of Bondage for the reason above given But yet there is something more to be said as to the clearing of this matter for I will not dare to call all cautious wary proceeding in searchingout what may or may not be the wil of God and my duty in such or such an action to call call this Legality and the effect of a spirit of bondage God forbid this were Doctrine for a Ranter to vent not for any sober person But this is that which I affirm That we ought to enquire faithfully and seriously what may be our duty and what may be our liberty in such or such an action before we adventure upon it and if we cannot understand such a thing to be our liberty as for instance to take usury-money to take an oath c. we ought not to do it but yet I say and that is the chief thing I intend in this particular that if we determine against our own liberty it not onely argues a weakness of judgement but usually a spirit of bondage for that our very determination proceeds from a false opinion and an over-timorous apprehension of God We think that he will not allow his servants such liberties as indeed he doth we think him an hard Master as it is Matth. 24.25 There are some men whom I dare not but think good men that yet think a Christian a Saint of God should be so exact so circumspect in things that are of no consideration so superstitious I may say in gestures habits language as if a Christian when once such were not to converse with other men but must go out of the world as the Apostles phrase is speaking in such a case as this 1 Cor. 5.9 10. And these men I make no doubt have done much prejudice to Religion by their great reservedness and narrowness of principles which I shall take liberty here to call Legality and a spirit of bondage for that it usually proceeds from a wrong apprehension of God as if he were hard and austere and cruel to his creatures And this narrowness of spirit and scrupulosity hath been a common and powerful principle in people so long till at last it hath issued out in a party and faction amongst us and it is as I conceive one of the most considerable ingredients in their Religion whom we call Quakers I have done with this third Character I come now to a fourth which is this A Legal spirit is a persecuting spirit and that especially of those that are the true Gospel-Saints and Worshippers of God I shall presently give my Scripture for this it is in Gal. 4.28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are children of the promise but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now He that is born after the flesh was the son of the Bond woman from Mount Sinai for justification by works as all the Allegory wil witness especially ver 23. he that is born after the spirit is the son of the promise that rests upon the promise in the Gospel-way for Justification Now as there have always been from the beginning these two seeds these two sorts of Worshippers so there was alwayes an enmity between them and they that are after the flesh and for the Law alwayes persecuted them that are for the Gospel those that are for the Law are ful of persecuting principles against all that differ from them they would fain have all forced to be of their way but yet their persecution is most fiercely directed against the true Worshippers they cannot endure that they should live upon the face of the earth Cain was a right Legallist he brings of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord but never minds with what heart he offers it yet takes it for granted that God would accept of it and like it very well And when he finds that his offering is not accepted and that his younger Brother's is he cannot bear it he hates his Brother and longs for the blood of his Brother and wherefore flew he him saith the Scripture Alas for no other reason is the answer made in the same place but for that his own works were evil and rejected and his Brothers righteous and accepted 1 John 3.12 not that his Brother had done him the least wrong imaginable Wherefore did Ishmael the son of the bond-woman persecute Isaac which persecution we find not to be other than scoffing at him Gen. 21.9 but onely because he was the son of the promise mocking him perhaps with some such taunt as this There goes a young Puritan a young Precisian the Son of the promise But come we down to the New-Testament and who there are the great persecutors of our Saviour and his Apostles
be a friend to the truth that he professeth But how to make them such he pretends to no other means but earnest prayers strong arguments and meek perswasions Thou almoâ—â— perswadest me to be a Christian saith Agrippa I would to God I could do it altogether saith St. Paul And when he comes to deal with his legal-Galathians first he useth the strongest arguments that can be to convince them afterwards the kindest appellations and sweetest infinuations to get an interest in their affections I have spoken to the arguments at large the appellations and insinuations I might insist upon such as these Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as you are yee have not injured me at all yee know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first and my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus chap. 4. ver 12 13 14 15. ver 19. My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you I desire to be present with you c. And as St. Paul practised so he advised Timothy to do in dealing with men of a contrary perswasion to him yea with such as opposed themselves to him 2 Tim. 2.25 26. IN MEEKNESS INSTRUCTING THEM WHO OPPOSE THE MSELVES if peraduenture God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And so he adviseth his Philippians Chap. 3.15 16. Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you The application is onely this So far as any are of a persecuting spirit so far they are Legal and I fear there are great mixtures of this in the hearts of many good men but I dare make this guess concerning them that when they have well smarted themselves by impositions and persecutions for their consciences they will be heartily glad of a TOLERATION which yet they would not have allowed to others if they had had the power in their own hand and I fear they will feel the smart as much as any sort of men and perhaps more for all that are good shall be sure to feel the sting of the Serpent and those most especially that stand next him hoping to make some accommodation but yet are true enemies to him I have done with this fourth Character I have one more considerable Character to add unto the former but before I proceed to the mention of it I shall add some few quotations out of Dr. Moore and Mr. Smith of Cambridge for confirmation of those things that I have asserted as Characters because I am loath to goalone without some restimony from others in such a considerable subject as I have here adventured through the assistance of God to treat upon Dr. Moore in his Mysterie of Godliness Iâ—â— 9. cap. 7. pag. 470. tells us That a MEER LEGALLIST is even a stranger to those things he praâ—â—ses and imitates under the Law Vpon the 〈◊〉 Chaâ—acter that the service of the Legallist consists onely in extemals and acts so as a Paâ—â—â— speaks by external imitation not from a due inwaâ—â— faculty and so again in the same pag. The Law sayes he not giving life there is no principle of life and natural genuine compliance of the soul of man wiâ—â— the SPIRITUALITY of the Law under the first Câ—venant Now if it cannot reach the spirituality oâ— the Law its service must consist onely in external conformities I shall produce somewhat 〈◊〉 the like nature out of Mr. Smith of Cambridge in that Discourse of his of the difference betwixt a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness he hathâ— these words That Righteousness of Faith which the Apostle sets up against the Law and compare with it is indeed in its own nature a VITAL and SPIRITUAL Administration wherein God converseth with men whereas the Law was meerly an EXTERNAL or dead thing in it self not able to beget any true Divine Life in the souls of men All that LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Jews boasted so much of was but from the earth earthly consisting MEERLY IN EXTERNAL PERFORMANCES and so falling extreamly short of that internal and God-like frame of spirit which is necessary for a true conjunction and union with God c. Again in the same Discourse he tells us That the most proper and formal difference between the Law and the Gospel is this That the one is considered onely as an external Administration and the other as an internal and that therefore the Apostle calls the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ministration of the Letter but on the other side he calls the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of the Spirit Once more in the same fourth chapter p. 323. Under the old Covenant This reaches the first and third characters and in the time of the Law there were amongst the Jews some that were Evangelized that were re non nomine Christiani as under the Gospel there are many that do Judaize are of as LEGAL and SERVILE SPIRITS as the Jews children of the Bond-woman resting in meer external observances of Religion in an outward seeming purity in a form of godliness as did the Scribes and Pharisees of old Another out of Doctor Moore his Mystery of Godliness pag. 387. The holiness of the Gospel is far transcending the holiness of either the ancient or MODERN SCRIBES and PHARISEES and Zelotical Ceremonialists for all outward Ceremonies of time and place of gestures or vestments rites or orders they are all but signs and shews but the body is Christ Some passages out of Mr. Smith's Discourse of the shortness of a Pharisaical Righteousness That Love is an absolutely necessary principle of Gospel-obedience to shew that love is absolutely necessary to a Gospel-spirit pag. 364. saith he The spirit of true Religion is of a free noble ingenuous and generous nature arising out of the warm beams of the Divine Love which first hatcht it and brought it forth and therefore it is afterwards perpetually bathing it self in that sweetest love that first begot it and is alwayes refreshed and nourished by it This Love casteth out fear fear which hath torment in it and is therefore more apt to chase away souls once woundâ—â— with it from God rather then to allure them to God with much more to the same purpose One more out of the learned Doctor concerning the last Character mentioned Upon the fourth Character viz. a spirit of Persecution and it is this That Ishmael Hagar's son had his hand against every man Upon which he quotes a descant of Philo. that it might signifie thus much That the Legallist is a great and fierce Disputer upon the Letter a notable Polemical Divine and his ignorance and untamedness of his carnal heart makes him very hold and troublesome I shall
Christ as the ultimate object of our Faith but only as he is the Mediator and great Dispenser of all things to us by a Power derived from the Father For this take that eminent place 1 Pet. 1.21 Who BY HIM that is Christ DO BELIEVE IN GOD that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God This I do but touch upon here it would require a large Treatise to speak unto it as the subject deserves viz how we are to direct our Faith and applications to Jesus Christ in a different manner then to God the Father but this is that which I am upon That in the general we are to six our Faith upon Christ as the great Dispenser of all good things unto us if we would have it of a right Gospel-strain nay if we expect to be justified by our faith for if God set up a Mediator a Dispenser of all his bentsits as Pharoah pardon the allusion set up Joseph and required that all men should go to him for what they wanted will he think you take it well that you should take no notice of his Joseph his dearly beloved and onely begotten Son But come to himself immediately dare you do it Can you ever hope for acceptation in this way of addressing your selves to God Might you not justly fear that God will prove a consuming fire to you in in such approaches So much for the second general head in which our Faith is to respect Jesus Christ But 3dly there is something more requisite yet to be done by our Faith with respect to Christ than meerly to look upon him as the procuring-cause and the dispensing-cause of all our mercies if we would have it a right New-Testament-faith or a Justifying-Faith in the dayes of the Gospel our Faith must conform us unto Christ as a pattern and example Now there is a two-fold conformity unto Christ which our Faith effects one Proper the other Analogical that which is proper is to put us upon doing as he did to be as he was humble meek lowly c. Learn of me saith Christ these things and ye shall receive rest unto your souls Matth. 11.29 Phil. 25.6 Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus who made himself of no reputation c. Looking unto Jesus who Heb. 12.2 But then there is an Analogical conformity which Faith effects and that is an answerableness to some things in Christ which it is not our duty to imitate in a proper sense as now to be conformable unto Christ in his death burial and resurrection these we cannot in a proper sense be conformable unto him in except we be hanged upon a cross till we are dead then laid in our graves then raised by the power of God c. Now these things are not our duty to go about to imitate properly but only in some resemblance and likeness Our Faith must bring us to the cross of Christ and teach us the crucisixion and mortification of our old man with the affections and lusts of it it must bring us to the grave of Christ and we must be there buryed with him Rom. 6.1.4 We are buried with him by baptism into death and by this death and burial we must reckon our selves to be dead unto sin ver 11. He that is dead is sreed from sin ver 7. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ver 2. Yea our Faith must earry us yet further beyond death and the grave into heaven it self we must rise with him into newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection Ver. 5. And as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Ver. 4. And we must sit together with him in heavenly places in our affections at least If ye be riser with Christ seek these things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your assections on things above not on things on the earth for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.1 2 3. Faith in the dayes of the Gospel carries us to the example and pattern of Christ conforms us to it both in a proper and Analogical conformity so that we have something in us that bears some Analogy and likeness to every thing that is to be found in Christ But because this third respect wherein our saith eies Jesus Christ looks more like obedience then faith more like sanctification than that by which most expect justification and seeing this is not the proper place to shew how far obedience and holiness and good works have an influence upon Justification I shall not insist more upon this contenting my self with the two other respects in which faith eies Jesus Christ viz. As the procurer and dispencer of all good things unto us which none can with any fair pretence deny to be necessary to our faith as justifying in the days of the New-Covenant Now to quicken and so to end this Character viz. That so far as we leave out Christ we are Legal in the business of Justication I shall represent the Reader with the example of St. Paul which I have glanced at already who was once highly legal end afterwards as eminently evangelical and that in the daies of the Gospel And I should think Solomon himself was not a fitter person to give an account of the vanity of worldly comforts than St. Paul was to acquaint us with that vanity vexation of spirit that there is in pretended legal righteousness as also with that perfect satisfaction which the Evangelical righteousness brings into the soul and 't is from him indeed and from his Epistles no doubt indited by the Spirit of God that this whole discouse hath been raised He was as to his descent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Hebrew born of Hebrew parents both father and mother and of a special and beloved tribe and circumcised the eighth day exactly according to the Law for his profession of the strictest sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in observation of the Law a Phaisee for his zeal in his profession it was exceeding great I prosited saies he Gal. 1.14 in the Jew's Religion above many my equals in mine own nation being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of my fathers And there was no greater argument of his being an high Legal list than this That he was a bitter persecutor of the way of the Gospel as he tells us in three several Epistles Gal. 2.13 Beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it Phil. 3.6 concerning Zeal persecuting the Church 1 Tim. 1.13 You have his catalogue of privileges altogether Phil. 3.4 5 6 and there he makes a challenge to any Jew any Pharisee of them all to shew the same
grounds and reasons of fleshly considence and boasting that he could shew for himself If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might boast in the flesh I MORE Now if there had been any goodness in that way of a Pharisaical righteousuess which S Paul with his utmost zeal pursued after cectainly he must have fonnd it But as soon as ever the Lord was pleased to call him by his grace and to REVEAL HIS SON IN HIM Gal. 1.15 16 he casts away all his riches and treasures of a legal righteousness as dross dung and dog's-meat not fit for children to feed upon and what is it that he embraceth what is it that can thus metamorphose and transpose him what doth he see what hath he espied in the Gospel Why it is Christ a single Christ He sells all that he had to buy this Pearle and thinks himself made for ever if he can but compass such a purchase Yea doubtless saith he I count all these but dung that I may WIN Christ or gain Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 So we have seen the metamorphosis the transformation of this man his leaving all his Pharisaical Legal Righteousness for a single Christ we will see a little further what use he makes of Christ now that he hath chosen him and thus centred his soul upon him Why he will needs know more of him I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Phil. 3.8 and saies he I count them but dung that I may win Christ and that I may know him ver 8.10 There are indeed all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid in him as St. Paul tells us Col. 2.3 and therefore well might he press after the knowledge of him Again he will love him If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed 1 Cor. 16. ver 22. He will believe in him I would be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through THE FAITH OF CHRIST Lastly he will make his glorying and boast of him and that is the highest honour we can do to God for men glory in that which they account their excellency yea St. Paul chooseth out that in Christ to glory in which is most contemptible in the eyes of the world and that is the cross of Christ which shews what an high esteem he had of him God forbid saith he that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ Gal. 6.14 And though the blind world could see nothing in this Cross that they should rejoice or glory in yet St. Paul saw these great things in the Cross of Christ that upon it he vanquished Principalities and Powers Col. 2.15 that he removed all that from off us that was contrary to us nailing it to his cross so that he might well say as he doth Gal 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to God that is through what the Law hath done to my Saviour it hath nothing to do with me I am dead to it and that is dead to me Again see another great efficacy that St. Paul espyed in the Cross of Christ and that was that it helped him to conquer the World God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ by which the world is crucified to me and I unto the world No wouder therefore if he chuseth the cross of Christ to glory in Once more we find him in another Scripture chusing his infirmities to glory in 2 Cor. 12.5 6 7 8 9 10. I take pleasure in insirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecution in distresses for Christ's sake And what is the reason why not onely for that these are a part of Christ's Cross but because when these things did press him down then did the arm of Christ support him and the Power of Christ rest upon him Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME for when I am weak then am I strong that is with the strength which is in Christ Jesus and therefore hedoth not only desire that he himself might thus know love believe and glory in Jesus Christ but he begs for others that they might have a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ Eph. 1.16 17. It were almost an infinite Work to trace St Paul in all the ways of his treating Christ and using of him take therefore one place for all Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ saith he nevertheless I live that is one Riddle I live yet not I there is another Riddle But whence arise these Mysteries Why from his conversing with and possessing of Christ I live but saith he 't is not I any longer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh the whole of my life it is by the faith of the Son of God that is Faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Paul is dead he lives no longer but Christ lives in Paul if you will and then no wonder St. Paul can do all things as he tells us he can when such a person lives in him Phil. 4.12 13. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to the hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Thus the whole of a Christians lise when he is like himself is a life of Faith upon Christ immediately his Flesh and Blood is his food his Grace and Spirit is his strength the living of Christ in him which is a Mystical expression is his life For you are dead and YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST in God Col. 3.3 That Christian therefore that is not intimately acquainted with Christ is so far legal The truth of this assertion is clear from this example for that as soon as ever St. Paul had Christ revealed in him he left all his legal righteousness and fastned upon Christ altogether in this manner which we have partly declared And indeed this is the Character of Characters all the other Characters before given signifie but little without this It is by means of Christs coming that we call God Father that we are freed from that slavish fear of God which even the Saints of the Old-Testament were under in a great measure the Heir before was kept in fear but when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons and because ye are Sons
convinceth of it yet I shall in searching out this distemper viz. Ignorance and neglect of Christ both in Ministers and People prove it to be a symptome of Legality from another character mentioned And truly I cannot guess what should be the reason of this ignorance and neglect of Christ so general and common even amongst those that are good but from a listlesness and irksomness to and weariness of the waies and knowledge of God Good people may chance think that they know a great deal of God already they know enough for their converse between man and man and for many duties of worship to God and they find this as much as they can attend together with their businesses and imployments in the world and so much they know of Christ that he died for their sins and intercedes with his Father for them and this is enough to satisfie them what should they trouble themselves any more about any Gospel Mysteries concerning Jesus Christ as his Mediatorial Kingdom and the like how God the Father orders and disposes of all things by him how they are to make their applications to him Now this listlesness carelesness I made before a plain symtom of Legality for the more Evangelical we are the more chearful we are in the service of God the more attentive to and inquisitive about any thing that he makes known to us especially concerning Jesus Christ every dust of this Pearl is precious I come in the second place to condemn predominant Legality from this Character Predominant Legality discovered from this Character 1. In the Jews and this wil convince two or three sorts of men of predominant Legality And first of all to be sure this convinceth the Jews of predominant Legality both those that were at the time of Christ's coming and have been ever since unto this day for that they denied then and still deny to receive Christ at all If they had been Evangelical under the Old-Testament they would gladly have received Christ who is the substance and spirit of all that Gospel which they had but darkly discovered in their dispensation They that love the dawnings of the day-light how much more would they be in love with the Sun of Righteousness but because their hearts were set upon the Law before Christ came therefore were they such enemies to Christ when he was come and there is no clearer proof of the charge which the Apostle oftentimes draws up against them viz. That they were legal than this that they are the great enemies of the cross of Christ and the same may be all applied to the present Jews that are enemies to Christ 2dly This discovers the Legality of the Modern Scribes and Pharisees and Zelotical Ceremonialists as Dr. Moore calls them those that are so much for the externals of Religion in the days of the Gospel that would set up a ceremonial Law again of their own inventing these argue their great affected ignorance of Christ and the Gospel by which these shadows are certainly done away for that the Body is come and this I look upon as a very shrewd sign though perhaps not absolutely concluding of predominant Legality But of these I have spoken largely already and therefore shall not enlarge further about them though they come here upon a new account to be convinced and reproved Lastly and so I shal end my Characters as I begun them vide pag. 117. the second observation premised to the Characters All those that have a zeal for God in the dayes of the Gospel and yet are not for a single Christ and for the purity and simplicity of the Gospel are legal for that all Religion which is not the right Religion is Legal The Jews corrupted the Gospel by adding the observations of the Law to it The Greeks and Philosophers destroyed the Gospel by inventions of worshipping Angels and other voluntary humilities Col. 2.8.18 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and NOT AFTER CHRIST ver 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen NOT HOLDING THE HEAD both these forts the Apostle sets himself vigorously against in several places of his Epistles Now whosoever shall in a likeness to either Jew or Grecian Philosopher go about to destroy the simplieity of the Gospel or the simplicity that is in Christ as it is called 2 Cor. 11.3 let him have never so much zeal in his way is legal and the reason is this for that whosoever goes about to establish his own righteousness is legal Rom. 10.1 2 3. Now all those that destroy the simplicity of the Gospel yet have a zeal for God go to establish their own righteousness I have now done with the Characters Having discharged now after a sort these several great parts of my Work shewn first that the Law could not justifie and that yet men wil needs seek Justification by the Law and having given the description of their Legality what it is formally in it self as also by the several characters of a Legal Spirit wherein it discovers that distemper which is otherwise many times unsearchable I hold my self now to be a little at leisure to speak unto some things in general touching Justification which I had no sitter place to speak unto then this and wil yet I hope further conduce unto the clearing and explaining of the great subject that is before us There may be therefore these several questions spoken to about Justification 1. At what time or times a person is ustified 2. For what act or acts a person is ustified These two questions the first of which contains several questions in it I shall first dispatch and then speak unto some others that wil arise to be spoken to The first Question is this The first question about justification At what time or times is a finner justified At what time or times is a sinner justified This contains these two questions 1. Whether or no a sinner be justified from eternity 2. Whether if he be onely justified in time Justification considered as God's act be one or more that is be done once for all at his strst Justification or else repeated often upon the person justified according to the exigency of the person For the first Q. Whether Justification be from eternity or in time Now to answer and resolve this Question 1. I should not have made this Question at all but for that some have asserted that we are justified from Eternity and I have heard it openly affirmed several times that Justification is an immanent act in God like the eternal generation of the Son 2. Now for the actions or acts which we may conceive in Eternity they either respect God himself or the Creatures Those that respect himself are such as whereby he understood loved and enjoyed himselfe and
we see that faith is not perfect without some kinde of works That is the first reason Faith it self would be an imperfect thing without works and so could not justifie The second reason why works are taken into the condition of Justification is Reason 2. For that it were neither comely no nor possible for divine approbation which I have often affirmed to be contained in Justification to pass upon any man without them I put these two into one 1. It were not comely What a strange thing would it be in the apprehensions of men if the great and holy God should own a company of persons in the world for his for certainly whom he justifies he will own for his that should only be though they really were believers but never do any service for him Neither plead for his honour when he is blasphemed nor own his servants when they are in reproach and distressed Not to mention their negative holiness which lyes in avoiding the corruptions of the world without which negative holiness if God should own them he would be thought the Patron of all Vice c. but I dare not express the uncomly consequences that would follow Now besides the impossibility that ariseth from this uncomliness there is also an impossibility that ariseth from the nature of the thing and that was the second thing I intended in this reason I say therefore it is impossible that God should approve of any person as just or take him into his favor and delights all which the Lord doth in the great business of Justification that is not a good and a righteous man God cannot justifie the ungodly whilest he remains ungodly he cannot love him nor delight in him nor approve of him because then he should approve of and delight in that which were contrary to his own nature viz. in a sinfull wicked person being himself an holy God 3. Reason 3. Good works do not justifie only negatively as without which faith would not be perfect and without which the object could not be beloved but good works do help justifie as that which after the intervention of mercy and pardon do render the object lovely to the holy God and do naturally conciliate the divine love and approbation 'T is true all our obedience while it is any way defective cannot constrain approbation and love from God nay our defects must needs bring a guilt upon our best actions if we are considered as under the law of our creation But now after that the good and mercifull God hath found out a comely way how he may shew favour to sinners it is certain that all their good actions though they are not immediate acts of Faith but of Love or Patience Justice or Temperance must needs be exceeding pleasing to him Gal. 5.22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meckness Temperance against such there is no law that is against such graces and actions or persons adorned with them there is no law This is but a meiosis for indeed such graces and gracious persons though but imperfectly furnished with them are yet for these things sake through his gracious acceptance of them highly pleasing to God For this see Heb. 13.16 Acts 10.4 And this is that wâ—â—â—â— Mr John Goodwin acknowledgeth who yâ—â— denyes that works procure Justification as Justification signifies remission of sins in the Fanner of Justification displayed pag. 48. 49. When Abraham is said to have been justified by works when he had offered c. the meaning is that upon this great testimony given by Abraham of the truth and effectualness of his faith God highly APPROVED of him and DEALâ— BY HIM AS BY A PERSON RIGHTEOUS AND JUST and CALLED HIM HIS FRIEND with much more to the same purpose by this you see how good works do highly please God so as to justifie us with an high approbation at least and I should think too even unto remission of sins so that if such a man that doth these works thus highly pleasing to God have sins upon him lately committed they should be forgiven him according to these Scriptures Dan. 4.27 Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Iam 5.15 If he have committed sâ—â—s they shall be forgiven him if it may be a lengthning of thy tranquillity or an healing of thine error as the margin hath it So Acts 3.19 Repent yee therefore and be converted that your iniquities may be blotted out Isai 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seck iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as whiâ—e asnow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool So lizek 18 21 22. Here you see that part of Justification which consists in the remission of sins is promised to good works as the Gospel reward of them and indeed I do not see how these two parts of Justification can be separated viz. Approbation and Pardon so as Faith should obtain the one and Good Works the other though indeed they may well be conceived as distinct parts of Justification I crave the pardon of that reverend person mentioned in that I take this liberty to express my self I shall conclude this Question with those words of Mr Baxter in his Aphorismes Thesis 73. pag. 289. 290. Faith ONLY doth not justifie in opposition to the works of the Gospel but those works do also justifie as the secoadary less-principal parts of the condition of the New Covenant I come now to the last Question which is this How comes faith thus eminently to intitule us to justification I have asserted Quest 6. that though works do justifie yet faith doth it so eminently as that gets the chiefest name of righteousness and works are never called our righteousness much less are they the righteousness of faith though it must be allowed as a good consequence that if we are said to be justified by works in a sense works are our righteousness because all Justification is by a righteousness But to let pass that that works are a partial secondary less principal righteousness The Question remains How comes faith to be so eminently our righteousness as to bear away the name so that our righteousness by which we are now said to be justified should be called the righteousness of faith in opposition to works that is legal works Now to this I answer in the general that the great reason of this must be the divine ordination and appointment It could not be meerly from the nature of the thing nothing in its own nature can justifie a rational creature but perfect righteousness unerring obedience Now the highest faith in the world can never deserve to be accounted
Spirit of Christ being throughly convinced of the righteousness of the Law the truth of its threatning the Nature and Offices Sufficiency and Excellency of Jesus Christ his free offer to all that will accept of him for their Lord and Saviour doth hereupon believe the truth of this Gospel and accept of Christ as his only Lord and Saviour to bring him to God his chiefest good and doth accordingly rest on him as his Saviour and SINCERELY though imperfectly OBEY him as his Lord FORGIVING OYHERS LOVING HIS PEOPLE BEARING WHAT SUFFERINGS ARE IMPOSED c. and all this sincerely and to the end This is part of his desinition of Faith Again Mr. Baxter in another place pag. 238. Thesis 62. according to this definition of Faith tells us That Faith may be called the onely condition of the New-Covenant for two reasons 1. Because it is the principal condition and the other but the less principal and so as an whole Countrey hath ost its Name from a chief City so may the conditions of this Covenant from Faith 2. Because all the rest are reducible to it either being presupposed as necessary antecedents or means or contained in it as its parts properties or modifications or else implyed as its immediate product or necessary subservient means or consequents And so full to the same purpose Thesis 73. pag. 280. Thus we see by Scripture and according to the opinion of a very learned and good man that Faith is not onely the first Grace in order but a very operative Grace and was in its own nature exceedingly sitted for that service which God hath in much Wisdom and Prudence appointed it unto But thirdly 〈…〉 there is yet a more proper reason then either of these why Faith should be chosen for this uses and that is for that Faith is a self-emrying Grace to live by Faith is to live purely in dependance upon God and Christ for every thing and what fitter instrument or condition of Justification could be chosen after the fall of man when it was most reasonable that if God would save a man he should have all the glory Doth not the Apostle insist mightily upon this both in his Doctrine and particular practice Justification now saith he is not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2.9 But by Grace are ye saved through Faith So Nom. 3.27 Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law Of works Nay but by the Law of Faith This is St. Paul's Doctrine Then for his practice For my part saith he I am crucified with Christ I am a poor dead thing Nevertheless I live yet not I or no longer I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Christ liveth in me and the life that I live is by Faith in Christ Gal. 2.20 Now that St. Paul is come to live the life of Faith he is nothing Christ is all he is dead and liveth not Christ onely liveth in him So that you see Faith besides all its other excellencies hath a peculiar fitness for this service of justifying a sinner and yet notwithstanding all these excellent qualities that are to be found in Faith it could not have justified without a Divine ordination and appointment Now for any to say as some do that Love justifies as much as Faith nay that God doth rather approve of a man for his Love then for his Faith is methinks very bold and unscriptural Divinity I shall onely adde a word of testimony out of Mr. Baxter to this last particular and so conclude the question and all the questions which I have to propose about Justification Pag. 231. of his Aphorisms he hath these words If God had seen meet to have stamped any thing else to pass for Justification it would have passed currantly yet take this Faith is even to our own apprehension the most apt and suitable condition that GOD COULD have chosen for as far as we can reach to know there cannot be a more apt or rational condition pag. 232. This is the most self-denying and Christ-advancing Work Nothing could be more proportionable to our poverty who have nothing to buy with than thus freely to receive c. I have now done with all the Questions which I thought any ways necessary to be spoken to for the more particular and distinct unfolding of the Doctrine of Justification and I might here shut up the Discourse with the Uses of the whole But before I come to the Uses I judge it convenient to add somewhat by way of Appendix concerning the means or way how Justification came to be transferred from the Law to the Gospel or from Works to Faith for that I have acknowledged that Works and the Law were the first natural way of justifying men but now that it is altogether brought about by Grace and Faith That which I have to say I shall introduce with this objection If we were all born under the Law Object and bound to obey it to a tittle upon which obedience it should have justified us but upon the least breach was armed with this threatning That we should dye the death and that we have all broken it how comes it to pass that we are not all the Laws Captives and Prisoners and condemned by it How came there such easie gracious terms to be offered us for our justification as Faith and sincere obedience that these shall be accepted instead of perfect unerring obedience How will this way be for the honor of God's veracity in the threatning or his holiness to take imperfect sinful creatures into favour Now in answer to this objection I shall not need to meddle with that question Answ whether it were inconsistent with the natural Justice or Holiness of God considered as antecedent to his threatning or Decree of punishing sinners with death for him to have pardoned sinners by an absolute Power and Soveraign Grace and so to have received them into favour upon their repentance without the intervention of a Saviour But in the first place seeing there was adecree passed In the day that thon eatest thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 I see not how it was consistent with the veracity of God to remit the sinner without any consideration at all without a very considerable fulfilling of this threatning 2dly The threatning therefore was fulfilled these several ways 1. Upon man himself in a great measure for that presently upon man's fall insued his mortality and all the inconveniences and troubles which we meet with in the World which are the fore-runners and causes of our dissolution But secondly and especially the great God in infinite Wisdom and Mercy provided a Saviour one mighty to save that should come into the world in the fulness of time about the 4000th year of the World the World being to last but perhaps 7000. years in all and free us that were born under the Law and by our sins made obnoxious to the curse of it from the curse and power of the Law
Now this being the great means of transferring Justification from the Law to Faith I shall a little insist upon the Explication of it That which I have to say upon it will be contained in these two assertions 1. That Christ in his own person here upon earth undertook the Law and answered it in all that it had to say against us And whereas it was a killing letter he took out this condemning power of it for all believers 2. That this was done by Christ for all ages of the Church and so it was and is the great foundation of that Justification by faith which the Apostle Paul contends to have been in all ages before the Law under the Law and in the dayes of the Gospel to the end of the world so that the way of Justification by faith comes in kindly and in a comely manner without any neglect or violation of the Law I begin with the first assertion That Christ in his own person here upon earth undertook and answered the Law The first assertion That Christ undertook answered the law for us c. Now to prove and illustrate this assertion it will be usefull to us 1. To consider in what condition the Lord Christ found us when he came into the world as a Saviour We were therefore all of us Jewes and Gentiles We were all under the law when Christ came to save us prisoners to the Law I shall give the account of this in the Apostle's expressions which are somewhat mystical to which I hope I shall adde some light by laying them together and comparing them one with another Before Christ came and before faith came and so at the time when Christ came when faith came in the doctrinal discovery or at any time doth come to us in the hearty closing with it We were kept under the Law Gal. 3.23 the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law had set a guard upon us and as it follows we were shut up unto the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we were all shut up as so many prisoners unto the Law and under its guard and custody and in Rom. 7.6 speaking of the Law the Apostle saith We were held by it that being dead that is the Law wherein we were HELD or by which we were detained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For though these places in the Galatians and Romanes may referr to the different dispensations of the Old Testament and New that before the dayes of the Gospel when faith came to be preached men were under a legal dispensation they were kept under the Law and shut up to the faith that was to be revealed yet I dare affirm that there is a deeper meaning then that at least a deeper truth then that if not in those places which is this That till Christ and the way of Justification by faith be made known to the soul the soul must needs be under a legal frame â—f heart towards God under fear and bondage â—ay and a further sense then this yet and that â—s this That till the virtue of the blood of Christ â—e applyed to the soul till actual Justification â—y or upon faith every man lies under the curse â—nd threatning and wrath of the Law the Law â—ath taken hold of us all an evident signe of â—hich is this That death hath passed upon all and â—hat is the reason why for that all have sinned â—om 5.12 And if any could plead exemption from this abnoxiousness to the Law it must be either the â—â—ntiles that had not the Law as the expression is â—â—m 2.14 that is had not the Law given to â—â—em or those that lived before the Law was â—ven by Moses now neither of these can plead â—is exemption therefore all mankinde were â—ptives to the Law when Christ undertook the â—ork of Redemption or rather until the desigâ—ation of Christ by the Father to this work For the first viz. the Gentiles the Apostle tells us that he had proved them under sin which is the transgression of the Law therefore under the Law and their thoughts within them did accuse for their breach of the Law which was written in their hearts Rom. 2.14 Neither were they free from this arrest of the Law who lived before the delivery of the Law by Moses for the Apostle tells us plainly Rom. 5.13 That untill the Law sin was in the world that is from Adam till the time that the Law was solemnly given by Moses sin was in the world now sin is the transgression of the Law and accordingly as sin was in the world all that space of time from Adam to Moses so Death reigned from Adam to Moses Now we know that death 〈◊〉 the wages of sin and the strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 Sin could never have brought in death but by the Law which bindes sin upon the sinner and with sin the punishment due to it therefore all that space of time from Adaâ— to Moses sin and death being in the world 〈◊〉 they were to be sure there was the Law in its power energy it was there in effect as sure 〈◊〉 it was in the hearts consciences of Heathens and the Grave was the Law 's Prison Death it's Arrest Sin it 's great Charge and Accusation by and upon which Death entred Sin entred in the world and death by sin upon the threatningâ— the Law Rom. 5.12 This was the state and condition therefore that Christ found us in wâ— were all under the Law as Prisoners and Captives therefore when the Father sent fort Christ upon the work of Redemption it is saâ— Gal. 4.4 God sent forth his Son made of a woman mâ—â— under the Law to redeem them that were under 〈◊〉 Law This was written to the Galatians who were Gentiles That we putting himself and the Galatians together might receive the adoption of Sons therefore the Gentiles were under the Law when Christ was sent forth for their redemption And our Saviour tells us what he was commissionated to by his Father Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at liberty them that are bruised or bound as it is in Isai 61.1 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord that is the Year of Jubilee when all servants were set free thus Christ's coming was to proclaim a Year of Jubilee to the whole world that the Law 's Captives should be delivered and those that served God under the tyranny of the Law might receive a spirit of Adoption So now thus farr we are gone in our proof of the first assertion that when Christ came as a Saviour and Redeemer of his people he found them all under the Law as the lawfull Captives and Prisoners unto it by reason of their sins which were
which otherwise I should be engaged to do from the fore-going discourse unto sincerity or sincere obedience which is the other part of the condition of Gospel justification I might adde as a great particular of the Exhortation to the exercise of faith that you must be sure to exercise frequent and vigorous acts upon Christ and his blood but of this I have spoken at large in the last Character To conclude therefore this use and so the whole Treatise if thou be rich in knowledge and firm in thy assent unto divine truths copious and strong in acts of affiance upon the divine power and goodness exhibited in the gracious promises of the Word and to this addest or rather makest to precede a sincerity of heart in the service of God that is in summe if thou be a great believer thou mayest not perhaps work Miracles but thou shalt be a wonderful Christian and shalt be able to do greater things than it was to do Miracles when they were in use for wicked men could work Miracles Math. 7.22 Thou shalt be eminently usefull unto the Church to thy Friends and Relations Acquaintance unto thine own soul thou shalt be fit to stand in the gap upon all occasions for others for thy self thou shalt free thy mind of all thy cares all thy businesses shall succeed thou shalt have all thy graces flourishing vigorous thou shalt by thy frequent actings of faith in prayer at last get such liberty of access to the throne of Grace such fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son as to be unto God and Christ in the quality of a Friend as Abraham was Jam. 2.23 which we know occasioned intimate communications from God to him as well as from him to God Gen. 18.17 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do So our Saviour saith to his Disciples Henceforth I call you not servants but friends for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth John 15.15 The secret of the Lord both of his Covenant and Providence shall be with thee Psal 25.14 In a word be but much in the exercise of faith and you shall need but little more to enquire into your selves what evidences you have of the favour of God to you than one at noon-day needs evidence that the Sun shines be but much in believing and ordinarily I speak not of extraordinary dispensations ye shall have joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 this you may see at large above in the third Character pag 187. But I do not pretend here in the narrow compass of a Use to speak to all that may be said of the life of Faith either to the kindes of its acts the blessed effects of it all the cases about it motives to it or directions in it this would fill a large Treatise See Ball of the Life of Faith I shall conclude all with that of the Psalmist 37.3 Trust in the Lord and do good be large and firme in thy assent to divine truths be strong and vigorous in thy acts of Trust and Affiance and be faithfull to thy God and thou shalt dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed verily thou shalt be justified verily thou shalt be saved FINIS THere being here some empty Pages I thought good to translate one place more out of Luthers Commentary upon the Galatians which I have a great esteem for I would have it referred to pag. 112. or rather to the 183. because it shews how apt even good men are to fall into a legal frame of heart it is in the 53 pag. his words are these Deinde quoque causa Justificationis lubrica est c. besides also the business of Justification is a slippery tickle thing not indeed in it self or in its own nature for in it self it is most firm and certain sed quoad nos but as to us and in our management of it That which I my self have often experienced Novi enim in quibus horis tenebrarum nonnunquam lucter for I know in what hours of darkness I sometimes struggle and wrestle I know how often or how that oftentimes I lose of a sudden the rayes and light of the Gospel and of Grace as it were in certain thick clouds novi denique quam versentur ibi in lubrico etiam exercitati qui pedem firmissime figunt in the last place I well know how that the most experienced Saints and those that have best footing stand here viz. in the business of Justification as in a slippery place and their foot is ready to slip ever now and then and they are apt to let go their hold habemus quidem cognitionem hujus causae we know indeed this matter in a doctrinal way because we can teach it to others and this is a certain sign that we understand it for none can teach others that which he knows not himself It is a sign of a knowing person as he said to be able to teach Verum eum jam in praesenti agone uti debemus Evangelio c. But when we come to practice this doctrine when we are in a strait and pressure of spirit need to use Gospel which is the word of Grace consolation and life then and there the Law the word of wrath sadness and death gets before the Gospel seiseth of us before the Gospel can come praevenit Evangelium and begins to make a tumult within us and stirs up no less terrors in the conscience than that terrible and horrible sight upon Mount Sinai did Sic ut vel unus locus comminationis in Scriptura omnes obruat obnubilat consolationes So that though but one place of threatning in the Scripture come to our minde it will over-whelm and darken all our comforts and will put all our inward parts into such a shaking and trembling adecque omnia interiora nostra concutiâ—t that we shall quite forget the right state of the matter of Justification we shall quite forget grace Christ and the Gospel ut plane obliviscamâ—r causae Justificationis Gratiae Christi Evangelii therefore as to us the business or cause of Justification is a very sl ppery tickle thing because we are slippery and unconstant in it Ides quantum ad nos attinetr es valde lubrica est quia nos lubrici sumus FINIS